[Maxima] Maxima Digest, Vol 18, Issue 34

[Len de Vlaming]

> float/bfloat?

> (%i1) sqrt(2);
> (%o1)                               sqrt(2)
> (%i2) float(%o1);
> (%o2)                          1.414213562373095


Okay, I'll jump in and show my ignorance to the world.  Can someone
please explain (using small words) to this non-mathematician what the
distinction is between floats and bigfloats, and why one would select
one over the other?  I've pored over the documentation but have not been
able to divine an answer simple enough for me to grasp.

Thanks
Len de Vlaming
Engineer-playing-in-the-maxima-sandbox
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