NAME
Math::BigRat - Arbitrary big rational numbers
SYNOPSIS
use Math::BigRat;
my $x = Math::BigRat->new('3/7'); $x += '5/9';
print $x->bstr(),"\n";
print $x ** 2,"\n";
my $y = Math::BigRat->new('inf');
print "$y ", ($y->isinf ? 'is' : 'is not') , " infinity\n";
my $z = Math::BigRat->new(144); $z->bsqrt();
DESCRIPTION
Math::BigRat complements Math::BigInt and Math::BigFloat by providing
support for arbitrary big rational numbers.
MMAATTHH LLIIBBRRAARRYY
Math with the numbers is done (by default) by a module called
Math::BigInt::Calc. This is equivalent to saying:
use Math::BigRat lib => 'Calc';
You can change this by using:
use Math::BigRat lib => 'BitVect';
The following would first try to find Math::BigInt::Foo, then
Math::BigInt::Bar, and when this also fails, revert to Math::Big-
Int::Calc:
use Math::BigRat lib => 'Foo,Math::BigInt::Bar';
Calc.pm uses as internal format an array of elements of some decimal
base (usually 1e7, but this might be different for some systems) with
the least significant digit first, while BitVect.pm uses a bit vector
of base 2, most significant bit first. Other modules might use even
different means of representing the numbers. See the respective module
documentation for further details.
Currently the following replacement libraries exist, search for them at
CPAN:
Math::BigInt::BitVect
Math::BigInt::GMP
Math::BigInt::Pari
Math::BigInt::FastCalc
MMEETTHHOODDSS
Any methods not listed here are dervied from Math::BigFloat (or
Math::BigInt), so make sure you check these two modules for further
information.
new()
$x = Math::BigRat->new('1/3');
Create a new Math::BigRat object. Input can come in various forms:
$x = Math::BigRat->new(123); # scalars
$x = Math::BigRat->new('inf'); # infinity
$x = Math::BigRat->new('123.3'); # float
$x = Math::BigRat->new('1/3'); # simple string
$x = Math::BigRat->new('1 / 3'); # spaced
$x = Math::BigRat->new('1 / 0.1'); # w/ floats
$x = Math::BigRat->new(Math::BigInt->new(3)); # BigInt
$x = Math::BigRat->new(Math::BigFloat->new('3.1')); # BigFloat
$x = Math::BigRat->new(Math::BigInt::Lite->new('2')); # BigLite
# You can also give D and N as different objects:
$x = Math::BigRat->new(
Math::BigInt->new(-123),
Math::BigInt->new(7),
); # => -123/7
numerator()
$n = $x->numerator();
Returns a copy of the numerator (the part above the line) as signed
BigInt.
denominator()
$d = $x->denominator();
Returns a copy of the denominator (the part under the line) as positive
BigInt.
parts()
($n,$d) = $x->parts();
Return a list consisting of (signed) numerator and (unsigned) denomina-
tor as BigInts.
asint()
$x = Math::BigRat->new('13/7');
print $x->asint(),"\n"; # '1'
Returns a copy of the object as BigInt, truncated to an integer.
"asnumber()" is an alias for "asint()".
ashex()
$x = Math::BigRat->new('13');
print $x->ashex(),"\n"; # '0xd'
Returns the BigRat as hexadecimal string. Works only for integers.
asbin()
$x = Math::BigRat->new('13');
print $x->asbin(),"\n"; # '0x1101'
Returns the BigRat as binary string. Works only for integers.
bfac()
$x->bfac();
Calculates the factorial of $x. For instance:
print Math::BigRat->new('3/1')->bfac(),"\n"; # 1*2*3
print Math::BigRat->new('5/1')->bfac(),"\n"; # 1*2*3*4*5
Works currently only for integers.
blog()
Is not yet implemented.
bround()//round()//bfround()
Are not yet implemented.
bmod()
use Math::BigRat;
my $x = Math::BigRat->new('7/4');
my $y = Math::BigRat->new('4/3');
print $x->bmod($y);
Set $x to the remainder of the division of $x by $y.
isone()
print "$x is 1\n" if $x->isone();
Return true if $x is exactly one, otherwise false.
iszero()
print "$x is 0\n" if $x->iszero();
Return true if $x is exactly zero, otherwise false.
ispos()
print "$x is >= 0\n" if $x->ispositive();
Return true if $x is positive (greater than or equal to zero), other-
wise false. Please note that '+inf' is also positive, while 'NaN' and
'-inf' aren't.
"ispositive()" is an alias for "ispos()".
isneg()
print "$x is < 0\n" if $x->isnegative();
Return true if $x is negative (smaller than zero), otherwise false.
Please note that '-inf' is also negative, while 'NaN' and '+inf'
aren't.
"isnegative()" is an alias for "isneg()".
isint()
print "$x is an integer\n" if $x->isint();
Return true if $x has a denominator of 1 (e.g. no fraction parts), oth-
erwise false. Please note that '-inf', 'inf' and 'NaN' aren't integer.
isodd()
print "$x is odd\n" if $x->isodd();
Return true if $x is odd, otherwise false.
iseven()
print "$x is even\n" if $x->iseven();
Return true if $x is even, otherwise false.
bceil()
$x->bceil();
Set $x to the next bigger integer value (e.g. truncate the number to
integer and then increment it by one).
bfloor()
$x->bfloor();
Truncate $x to an integer value.
bsqrt()
$x->bsqrt();
Calculate the square root of $x.
ccoonnffiigg
use Data::Dumper;
print Dumper ( Math::BigRat->config() );
print Math::BigRat->config()->{lib},"\n";
Returns a hash containing the configuration, e.g. the version number,
lib loaded etc. The following hash keys are currently filled in with
the appropriate information.
key RO/RW Description
Example
============================================================
lib RO Name of the Math library
Math::BigInt::Calc
libversion RO Version of 'lib'
0.30
class RO The class of config you just called
Math::BigRat
version RO version number of the class you used
0.10
upgrade RW To which class numbers are upgraded
undef
downgrade RW To which class numbers are downgraded
undef
precision RW Global precision
undef
accuracy RW Global accuracy
undef
roundmode RW Global round mode
even
divscale RW Fallback acccuracy for div
40
trapnan RW Trap creation of NaN (undef = no)
undef
trapinf RW Trap creation of +inf/-inf (undef = no)
undef
By passing a reference to a hash you may set the configuration values.
This works only for values that a marked with a "RW" above, anything
else is read-only.
BUGS
Some things are not yet implemented, or only implemented half-way:
inf handling (partial)
NaN handling (partial)
rounding (not implemented except for bceil/bfloor)
$x ** $y where $y is not an integer
bmod(), blog(), bmodinv() and bmodpow() (partial)
LLIICCEENNSSEE
This program is free software; you may redistribute it and/or modify it
under the same terms as Perl itself.
SEE ALSO
Math::BigFloat and Math::Big as well as Math::BigInt::BitVect,
Math::BigInt::Pari and Math::BigInt::GMP.
See for a way to use
Math::BigRat.
The package at
may contain more documentation and examples as well as testcases.
AUTHORS (C) by Tels 2001 - 2005.
perl v5.8.8 2001-09-21 Math::BigRat(3pm)