SWI-Prolog uses rational number arithmetic if the Prolog flag
prefer_rationals
is true and if this is defined for a function on the given
operands. This results in perfectly precise answers. Unfortunately
rational numbers can get really large and, if a precise answer is not
needed, a big waste of memory and CPU time. In such cases one should use
floating point arithmetic. The Prolog flag
max_rational_size
provides a tripwire to detect cases where rational numbers get
big and react on these events.
Floating point arithmetic can be forced by forcing a float into an
argument at any point, i.e., the result of a function with at least one
float is always float except for the float-to-integer rounding and
truncating functions such as round/1, rational/1
or float_integer_part/1.
Float arithmetic is typically forced by using a floating point
constant as initial value or operand. Alternatively, the float/1
function forces conversion of the argument.
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