Grotesquely large numbers in C

[Chaotic42]

Yeah, fine, 32768.

Great.

4294967296?

Fine.

3.4028236692093846346337460743177e+38?

Yeah.

But how do I handle *big* numbers in C? Huge numbers?

Like (((((4.55e+999)^(4.55e+999))^(4.55e+999))^4.55e+9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999)?

I think I've got that closed off right. Anyway, you get my point.

Ideas?

 

[PrincessGuard]

Look up "arbitrary precision" libraries, e.g. GMP ( http://www.swox.com/gmp/ )

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: PrincessGuard
Look up "arbitrary precision" libraries, e.g. GMP ( http://www.swox.com/gmp/ )

Coolio.

Thanks!

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

Python

 

[Haircut]

If the numbers are as big as the one you posted then you won't be able to actually do anything with the numbers other than store them, even then you would have to store them in some sort of multiple power system as the one you have shown.

Computers simply do not have enough memory to manipulate numbers of that magnitude.

Even something as 'small' as (4.55e+8)^(4.55e+8) has over 2 billion digits and would require something like 800 Mb to store it in its full form.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: Haircut
If the numbers are as big as the one you posted then you won't be able to actually do anything with the numbers other than store them, even then you would have to store them in some sort of multiple power system as the one you have shown.

Computers simply do not have enough memory to manipulate numbers of that magnitude.

Even something as 'small' as (4.55e+8)^(4.55e+8) has over 2 billion digits and would require something like 800 Mb to store it in its full form.

I know.

I've just run into a limit, and I'd like larger numbers. Not even as big as the one you posted.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: BingBongWongFooey
Python

Python can handle arbitrarily large numbers? That's even better then.

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42

Originally posted by: BingBongWongFooey
Python

Python can handle arbitrarily large numbers? That's even better then.

Yep, python longs are totally unlimited in size. Use the syntax "12345L", or I think in 2.2 you might not even have to do that. NumPy may also be of some use to you (dunno what you're using it for)

 

[BFG10K]

You can use arbitrarily long numbers if you implement your own class using strings and operator overloading to perform arithmetic on them. Then your only limit is memory.