Re: [boost] returning floating point values from a metafunction

Subject: Re: [boost] returning floating point values from a metafunction
From: Christopher Kormanyos (e_float_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-07-01 17:21:36

...  Just for fun, I was trying to write a compile-time approximation of cosine using the following Maclaurin series:


cos( x ) ~= 1 - ( x^2 / 2! ) + ( x^4 / 4! ) - ( x^6 / 6! ) + ...

I ended up at a point where I needed to assign a const floating point value to the result of an integer division, kind of like this:

static const float value = integerA / integerB;

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Sometimes, I use Pade approximations for this kind of thing. But, as already mentioned,
you also need to consider rational approximations to floats when metaprogramming.

Consider the Pade approximation for sin(x) of Order(3) in the numerator and
Order(4) in the denominator:

sin(x) ~= (5880 x - 620 x^3)/(5880 + 360 x^2 + 11 x^4)

I believe that it is easier to rationalize and metaprogram this thing than it is to work
with a similarly truncated Taylor series. In fact, it's probably a viable alternative to
your existing macros.

I obtain Pade approximations using Mathematica. However, Wolfram's
magnificent knowledge-based search machine "Alpha" will actually give you
Pade approximations.

For example, put this into Wolfram's Alpha:
  PadeApproximant[Sin[x], {x, 0, {3, 4}}]

Of course this stuff also works for sin, exp, log, etc.
Maybe this will give you some new ideas or at least something to play around with.

Sincerely, Chris.