The Float package

This is the README file for the GAP package “Float”

This package implements floating-point numbers, with arbitrary precision, based on the C libraries MPFR, MPFI, MPC, FPLLL and CXSC.

The package is distributed in source form, and does not require anything else than a running GAP 4.7 or later. For updates, check the package website at https://github.com/gap-packages/float/.

Installation

To use the package, your must first compile it; this is done by invoking ./configure and then make in the main directory (where this file is). ./configure may be invoked with argument --with-gaproot=<location> to specify the location where GAP is installed. The default is ../...

This package requires external libraries, at least one of mpfr, mpfi, mpc, fplll or cxsc. If they were installed at standard locations, they will automatically be found; otherwise, their location can be specified with these ./configure switches:

• --with-mpfr=<location>
• --with-mpfi=<location>
• --with-mpc=<location>
• --with-fplll=<location>
• --with-cxsc=<location>

The include and library directories of the named library are then assumed to be <location>/include resp. <location>/lib Alternatively, the include and library directories can be specified with --with-mpfr-include=<location> and --with-mpfr-lib=<location>, etc.

Most systems either come with these libraries, or supply a simple method for installing them. For instance, on Ubuntu the command

apt-get install libmpfr-dev libmpfi-dev libmpc-dev libfplll-dev

and on a mac with Homebrew the command

brew install mpfr mpfi libmpc fplll

should install the specified four libraries.

Usage

Once the package has been compiled, it may be used within GAP by typing

LoadPackage("Float");

The “Float” package banner should appear on the screen. New floating-point handlers may be then set by typing

SetFloats(MPFR,1000);

to have 1000-bits floating-point numbers. For details on how to use the Float package, please consult the documentation. It is in the doc subdirectory, see manual.pdf.

License

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program, in the file COPYING. If not, see https://www.gnu.org/licenses/.