01:198:323 Lecture 1: sec_1-1

• School: Rutgers University
• Department: Computer Science
• Course: 01:198:323
• Professor: Professor Gerasoulis

Document Summary

In essence, they are addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division (and even this will usually require a truncation of the quotient at some point). In addition, we can make logical decisions, such as deciding which of the following are true for two real numbers a and b: a > b, a = b, a < b. Furthermore, we can carry out only a nite number of such operations. If we limit ourselves to just addi- tion, subtraction, and multiplication, then in evaluat- ing functions f (x) we are limited to the evaluation of polynomials: p(x) = a0 + a1x + anxn. In this, n is the degree (provided an 6= 0) and {a0, , an} are the coe cients of the polynomial. Later we will discuss the e cient evaluation of polynomials; but for now, we ask how we are to evaluate other functions such as ex, cos x, log x, and others.