Robust geometric computation: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 06:09, 3 May 2020

Revision as of 06:10, 3 May 2020

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In mathematics, specifically in [[computational geometry]], '''geometric nonrobustness''' is a problem wherein branching decisions in [[computational geometry]] algorithms are predicatedbased on approximate numerical computations, leading to various forms of unreliability including ill-formed output and software failure through crashing or infinite loops.

For instance, algorithms for problems like the construction of a [[convex hull]] rely on testing whether certain "numerical predicates" have values that are positive, negative, or zero. If an inexact floating-point computation causes a value that is near zero to have a different sign than its exact value, the resulting inconsistencies can propagate through the algorithm causing it to produce output that is far from the correct output, or even to crash.