Subject: Operations with imprecise numbers.
Date: 3 Mar 91 09:01:11 GMT
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder

I just picked up these routines from the hpbbs.  Unfortunately, I downloaded
them straight from the bbs into the calc so I don't have the message header to
go with it, but I  see it down in the code.. (John A. Kyle)  This is a set of
routines to deal with numbers like 2+-.5 or 3.056 +- .67 when doing the
operations + - * / and ^.  Those operations are treated as absolute errors so
that 2.0 +- .5 + 3.0 +-.5 will result in 6.0 +- 0.0.  
Then there is an operation for dealing with stuff in a random fashion, with 90%
assurance.  For an example, I could choose the EQ 'X + Y' and enter the numbers
X = 2.0 dX = .5  Y= 3.0 dY= .5 and yeilds "To correct SIG.FIG's 5.0+-0.7"
and the real result 5.0+-0.707106781187.  

For anyone with a physics class that requires any sort of error analysis of the
data, this set of programs is a MUST.  The routines are completely idiot proof
as they will tell you what to do if you don't have the right data.  Just
download this directory and when it it, hit CST and then INTRO.  That will get
you started.. I have found no problems in it yet.

        ian

--
-=Runaway Daemon