machine (integer)

Returns integer information describing the computer’s arithmetic.

Synopsis

#include <imsl.h>

long imsl_i_machine(int n)

Required Arguments

int n (Input)
Index indicating which value is to be returned. It must be between 0 and 12.

Return Value

The requested value is returned. If n is out of range, then NaN is returned.

Description

The function imsl_i_machine returns information describing the computer’s arithmetic. This can be used to make programs machine independent.

imsl_i_machine(0) = Number of bits per byte

Assume that integers are represented in M-digit, base-A form as

 

 

where σ is the sign and 0  xk < A for k = 0, M. Then,

n

Definition

0

C, bits per character

1

A, the base

2

Ms, the number of base-A digits in a short int

3

, the largest short int

4

Ml, the number of base-A digits in a long int

5

, the largest long int

Assume that floating-point numbers are represented in N-digit, base B form as

 

where σ is the sign and 0  xk < B for k = 1, N for and Emin  E  Emax.

Then,

n

Definition

6

B, the base

7

Nf, the number of base-B digits in float

8

9

10

Nd, the number of base-B digits in double

11

12

Example

This example prints all the values returned by imsl_i_machine on a 32-bit machine with IEEE (Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineer) arithmetic.

 

#include <imsl.h>

#include <stdio.h>

 

int main() {

int n;

long ans;

 

for (n = 0; n <= 12; n++) {

ans = imsl_i_machine(n);

printf("imsl_i_machine(%d) = %ld\n", n, ans);

}

}

Output

 

imsl_i_machine(0) = 8

imsl_i_machine(1) = 2

imsl_i_machine(2) = 15

imsl_i_machine(3) = 32767

imsl_i_machine(4) = 31

imsl_i_machine(5) = 2147483647

imsl_i_machine(6) = 2

imsl_i_machine(7) = 24

imsl_i_machine(8) = -125

imsl_i_machine(9) = 128

imsl_i_machine(10) = 53

imsl_i_machine(11) = -1021

imsl_i_machine(12) = 1024