Assignment 1: Numerical Precision

Due Week 3 and worth 90 points



The storage and representation of numbers in a computer can lead to costly mistakes because of precision errors. When using floating point numbers, one must make sure that the correct number of digits is used in a calculation because rounding errors can produce values that lead to errors. Consider the floating point format, exponential format, and binary coded decimal (BCD). 



Write a four to five (4-5) page paper in which you:

1. Analyze the floating point format in order to:

Determine how floating point numbers are stored in memory.

Discuss the ease or difficulty of manipulating and using floating point numbers in arithmetic calculations.

2. Determine whether or not you believe that the floating point format is memory efficient. Provide a rationale to support your answer.

Analyze the format used to store numbers using the binary coded decimal format. Determine whether the BCD format is more or less memory efficient than the floating point format.

Compare and contrast the BCD format to the floating point format in terms of:

precision

performance in calculations

memory usage

Select the format (floating point format, binary coded decimal (BCD), or exponential format) that you would recommend for processing efficiency and explain why.

Floating point numbers can introduce rounding errors in the banking industry, which may lead to financial benefit for the bank but not for the customer. Analyze the ethics of knowingly benefitting from rounding errors. Propose a plan on how the rounding error should be handled.

Differentiate between the exponential format and the floating point format in terms of:

format

processing speed

accuracy

Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

Summarize CPU data types and common data structures.

Develop an enterprise architecture plan to address and solve a proposed business ethical problem.

Use technology and information resources to research issues in enterprise architecture.

Write clearly and concisely about Advanced Computer Architecture topics using proper writing mechanics and technical style conventions.

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