Date:         Mon, 6 Jan 1997 09:48:51 PST
Reply-To:     TWB2%Rates%FAR@GO50.COMP.PGE.COM
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU>
From:         TWB2%Rates%FAR@GO50.COMP.PGE.COM
Subject:      Re: Numeric variables: default size
Comments: To: mdumond@GARNET.ACNS.FSU.EDU

A SAS numeric variable can be stored with a length of 8 bytes or fewer (down to
2 or 3).  During a datastep, it is expanded to 8 bytes if it was stored in
fewer.  If you attempted to calculate NEWVAR=GAMMA(277); and it exploded on your
platform, then there is no direct solution--you must approach the problem a
different way.  For instance, if you really wanted NEWVAR=GAMMA(277)/GAMMA(273);
isn't GAMMA(n) the factorial of n-1, so that the result is 276*275*274*273?
 
Tim Berryhill - Contract Programmer and General Wizard
TWB2@PGE.COM or http://www.aartwolf.com/twb.html
Frequently at Pacific Gas & Electric Co., San Francisco
The correlation coefficient between their views and
my postings is slightly less than 0
----------------------[Reply - Original Message]----------------------
 
Sent by:"M. DuMond" <mdumond@GARNET.ACNS.FSU.EDU>
 Does anyone know how (or if it is possible) to allow a numeric variable to
take on very large values.  For example, gamma(277)?
 
Thanks for your help.
 
Please reply by email to:
mdumond@garnet.acns.fsu.edu
 
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