[Novalug] [OT] Question for computer scientist

Bonnie Dalzell bdalzell@qis.net
Mon Feb 2 16:44:56 EST 2009


If you have a value you are using a lot in a program - in this case 
powers of 2 (2^n and 1/2 to the n). Is it easier on the system (or 
faster) to compute them when you need them or fetch them from a 
premade look up table?

I ask this because I am working on a program to compute coefficients of 
inbreeding and the closed source compiled dos program I have been using 
seems to have a look up table file that it uses in relation to coi and I 
think - examining the table in a hex editor that it is powers of two 
precalculated.

I do not have access to the source code for the old dos program. but i 
have been running it to check and see if the calcs of the value 
generated by my program are correct.

No one seems to have published a numerical recipe for calculating 
coefficient of inbreeding anyplace i can find via google so I (a 
non-mathematician) am trying to come up with one.

I have also decided if I get one (numerical recipe) that works it is going 
onto the web as is the program. Since the program is in perl it is by 
defiition open source.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                        Bonnie Dalzell, MA
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