Teaching computers a new way to count could make numbers more accurate
A new way to store numbers in computers can dynamically prioritise accuracy or range, depending on need, allowing software to quickly switch between very large and small numbers
There are many ways for computers to store numbers Andrew Ostrovsky/Panther Media GmbH/Alamy
Changing the way numbers are stored in computers could improve the accuracy of calculations without needing to increase energy consumption or computing power, which could prove useful for software that needs to quickly switch between very large and small numbers.
Numbers can be surprisingly difficult for computers to work with. The simplest are integers ? a whole number with no decimal point or fraction. As integers grow larger, they require more storage space, which can lead to problems when we attempt to reduce those requirements ? the infamous millennium?
