fixed point
<mathematics> The fixed point of a function, f is any value, x for which
f x = x. A function may have any number of fixed points from none (e.g. f x =
x+1) to infinitely many (e.g. f x = x). The fixed point combinator, written as
either "fix" or "Y" will return the fixed point of a function.
See also least fixed point.
(1995-04-13)
Nearby terms:
FIX « fix « fixed disk « fixed point »
fixed-point » fixed point combinator » fixed-width
fixed-point
<programming> A number representation scheme where a number R is
represented by an integer N such that R=N*B, where B is the (assumed) base of
the representation.
On computers with no floating-point unit fixed-point calculations can be
significantly faster as all the operations are basically integer operations.
Apart from that, fixed-point representation has the advantage of having uniform
density, i.e., the smallest resolvable difference of the representation is B
throughout the representable range, in sharp contrast to floating-point
representations.
(1998-05-18)
Nearby terms:
fix « fixed disk « fixed point « fixed-point
» fixed point combinator » fixed-width » FIXME
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