Number Help

[VenomousNinja]

Hey, I recently made an exponation program. It works fine, just with one problem: If a number is too big, it messes up and produces a weird number/word/operater mix.

For ex: I recently got a result of something like 5.10623 + 012, when I looked in the debugger I was using for the value of what was being displayed, the actualy number was more like 51062355165 or something like that.

[xabnu]

You should probably include a code sample, and maybe copy/paste the exact output, or else diagnosing your problem might be impossible.

[firedraco]

Actually, that is because when the number gets too big, it puts it in scientific notation. For example:

1000 = 1+e4

5.0123+e10 = 50123000000

[VenomousNinja]

Cool!
For me... Anyway.
Is there anyway to stop this from happening?

BTW, here's the code, incase it helps:

//Made using the template created by Stephan Randy Davis
//Created by Randy Wills
#include <cstdio>
#include <cstdlib>
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

double* newBase()
{
double* B;
B = new double;
return B;
}

int main(int nNumberofArgs, char* pszArgs[])
{
//Warn users that exponants with decimals will not be tolerated
cout << "Warning: Decimal points on exponants will not be recognized by this program.\n";
//Start declaration of everything
int* Expo; //Declare Expo
double Base;
//Assign Value to Base
cout << "Enter the base (number to be multiplied):";
cin >> Base; 
//Assign Value to Expo
cout << "Now enter how many times the number is to be multiplied:";
Expo = new int;
cin >> *Expo;

//Assign Value to BaseB
double* BaseB = newBase();
*BaseB = Base*Base;
//Check if the Expo equals or is under the value of 1
if (*Expo <= 1)
{
//Take away from Expo, to make Zero or less
--*Expo;
// Finish Program by displaying Base
cout << Base;
cout << "\nFinished...";
system("PAUSE");
return 0;
}
//Take away from Expo, to make one less than Expo was assigned. For Mathematical Reasons
--*Expo;
//Check if Expo is Above the value of 1
    if (*Expo > 1)
    {
    while (*Expo > 1)
    { 
    //Start the Exponation Process
    *BaseB =  (*BaseB*Base);
    //Take away from Expo, to make sure the loop is not infinite
    --*Expo;
    }
    }
    //Finish up the Program by displaying BaseB, which is the product of the
    //repeated Exponation Process
    delete Expo;
    cout << *BaseB;
    cout << "\nNow, please leave the area.\n";
    system("PAUSE");
    return 0; 
}

I've just started editing it in order to fix my problem, so that's why I have the pointers and stuff.

[VenomousNinja]

I really hate to double post, but can ANYONE help me?
Seriously, this is a real problem for me!

[ropez]

Yes, there is a way to prevent scientific notation, but you should know that the result may be inaccurate. "double" and "float" use floating point precision, which means that when the number reaches a certain size, the least significant digits will be removed. E.g. 1000000000001 might become 1000000000000.

Try this:

cout.precision(0);
cout << fixed << *BaseB;

BTW: It's a lot easier to use int and double stack variables, instead of allocating on the heap with new.

[VenomousNinja]

Thanks!!
Okay, so it might lose accuracy, but, there has to be a way to fix that, right??

Anyway, thank you soooooo much!

[ropez]

> Okay, so it might lose accuracy, but, there has to be a way to fix that, right??

Yes: Do not use double when you want fixed point precision!

[VenomousNinja]

And how do I do that??
The only real reason I have a double in there is incase the base is a double, that's all.