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[Fwd: ISL: M0010.02 Elementary Functions]




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P1788

I think the voting period on motion 10 is nearly on us. Discussion on it seems to have been nonexistent since 10th Nov, or have I missed something?

On the required functions, I like everything except
 - compound. Only "recommended" in 754, and it seems not to give
   much numerical benefit. It loses a lot of information in x
   when x (and n) are small. If it were defined as (1+x)^n - 1,
   I see the point.
   As it's in 754, I suppose we can't change it, so I support
   moving it to "recommended".
 - rSqrt. Maybe I just don't know what application crucially
   requires the extra ulp of accuracy this may give compared
   with doing 1/sqrt(xx). At present I support moving it to
   "recommended", but am persuadable.

In the "recommended" list
 - I applaud the inclusion of sinPi and its kin, despite Dan Zuras's
   disapproval.
 - I think exp1 should be (e^x-1)/x, not (e^x-1-x)/x.
   And atanPi is defined as \atan(x)/\pi, not \atan(x)\pi.
   And atan2Pi needs a definition entry.
 - It might be good if the authors make the "range" column of Table 2
   consistent ("sign" has range as interval function, the others as
   point functions). And make Tables 1 & 2 consistent with each other.
   Personally I find the Table 1 "interval function" column not very
   helpful and actually wrong in some ways. E.g. asin is defined on
   _any_ interval according to the definition of interval extension
   in section 1.1 -- not just on members of I[-1,1].
   So maybe Table 1 should revert to just a "range" column?
 - Nate Hayes makes a good point arguing for "nint" and "trunc" in
   addition to "ceil" and "floor", so that all four rounding modes are
   catered for.

As for Dan's general power, I don't like it. As an interval function it seems "neither fish, flesh nor fowl, nor good red herring".

At present I expect to vote
   M0010.10 List of required functions NO    for reasons above.
   M0010.20 Postpone details           YES
   M0010.30 General power              NO    for reason above.



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