Re: [Stds-754] motion addressing the need for consistency in distinguishing between numbers and NaNs

[r754@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

        Given that this motion has been made later than allowed by our
        rules, it must be offered as a proposed amendment to the agenda
        for Thursday.  But, assuming that amendment is approvedm it will
        be item 16 on the agenda.  - Dan

> Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2006 13:57:55 -0700
> From: "Ferguson, Warren E" <warren.e.ferguson@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: <stds-754@xxxxxxxxxxx>, <stds-754@xxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [Stds-754] motion addressing the need for consistency in
>       distinguishing between numbers and NaNs
>
>
> Motion: Make the draft consistent in distinguishing between numbers and
> non-numbers (NaNs).
>
> Seconded: Jim Thomas
>
> Rationale: Much of the draft distinguishes between numbers and NaNs. For
> example, see sections
>
>     7.3.1 ("if one operand is a number and the other a NaN")
>
>     7.5.1 ("treating numbers and NaNs alike")
>
>     7.10 ("totalOrder(number, +NaN)")
>
> and=20
>
>     9.4 ("nextAfter is infinite and differs from the number x")=20
>
> which become incorrect if NaNs are considered to be numbers. The
> proposal is that we change the draft so that it is consistent with this
> distinction, and that we adopt the term "value" to refer to the
> collection consisting of numbers and NaNs. One alternative, where a NaN
> is considered to be a number, seems inconsistent with the interpretation
> of the definition of NaN as "not-a-number." This proposal is consistent
> with the following hierarchy of floating-point "values":
>
> =20
>
> value
>
>     NaN
>
>     number
>
>         infinite
>
>         finite
>
>             zero
>
>             nonzero
>
>                 normal
>
>                 subnormal
>
> =20