The answer depends a lot on what x
is. The code implementing numerical_approx
is
if prec is None:
from sage.arith.numerical_approx import digits_to_bits
prec = digits_to_bits(digits)
try:
n = x.numerical_approx
except AttributeError:
from sage.arith.numerical_approx import numerical_approx_generic
return numerical_approx_generic(x, prec)
else:
return n(prec, algorithm=algorithm)
So the instance x
belongs to some class, and the numerical_approx
method of this class is taken.
To have an example, i will work with pi
instead of x
The used precision is the one accepted by the RealField
class. For instance:
sage: A = numerical_approx(pi, 1234)
sage: R = A.parent()
sage: R.precision()
1234
sage: R
Real Field with 1234 bits of precision
sage: R == RealField(1234)
True
So we go to the documentation of that constructor...
?RealField
Docstring:
RealField(prec, sci_not, rnd):
INPUT:
* "prec" -- (integer) precision; default = 53 prec is the number of
bits used to represent the mantissa of a floating-point number.
The precision can be any integer between "mpfr_prec_min()" and
"mpfr_prec_max()". In the current implementation,
"mpfr_prec_min()" is equal to 2.
and so on. We have to accept this, beliving that the imand the corresponding function gives...
sage: from sage.rings.real_mpfr import mpfr_prec_max
sage: mpfr_prec_max()
9223372036854775551
The implementer was really generous. For my purposes, i still have to use numbers that can be represented on my box that i take with me every day in the train... Some 1GB-numbers were never my focus, well, it is the reason and the effect of the fact that i am doing only exact mathematics in the sense of
sage: Q = RationalField()
sage: Q.is_exact()
True
sage: R = RealField()
sage: R.is_exact()
False
So from the point of view where i stay, try to always do exact computations as long as exact computations are possible. When approximations are needed (and i do need them e.g. when searching for algebraic relations among values of polylogarithms), start with some small precision (like $100$ or $10000$ if $100$ does not work) and manually raise it.
Pas de maximum. Merci de donner un exemple précis de calcul voulu.