diff --git a/docs/introduction/arithmetic.rst b/docs/introduction/arithmetic.rst index 47e1303a..0fe93311 100644 --- a/docs/introduction/arithmetic.rst +++ b/docs/introduction/arithmetic.rst @@ -85,7 +85,11 @@ precedence level. For example, let's check out the documentation for :: Disco> :doc + + This expression has multiple possible types. Some examples: ~+~ : ℕ × ℕ → ℕ + ~+~ : ℤ × ℤ → ℤ + ~+~ : 𝔽 × 𝔽 → 𝔽 + ~+~ : ℚ × ℚ → ℚ precedence level 7, left associative The sum of two numbers, types, or graphs. @@ -93,18 +97,19 @@ precedence level. For example, let's check out the documentation for https://disco-lang.readthedocs.io/en/latest/reference/addition.html There is a lot of information here, so let's go through it slowly. -The first line, ``~+~ : ℕ × ℕ → ℕ``, tells us the :doc:`type ` -of the addition operator. Don't worry for now about what the various +The first few lines tell us some of the :doc:`type ` +the addition operator can have. Don't worry for now about what the various symbols like ``~``, ``×``, and ``→`` mean; essentially this is telling us that ``+`` takes a pair of natural numbers and returns a natural -number (XXX why this type is wrong --- ``+`` is more general). +number; or a pair of integers and returns an integer; and so on. This +fits with the claim made before that all four of the numeric types +support addition. -The second line tells us the *precedence level* of ``+`` is ``7``. -Operators with a *higher* precedence level come before ones with a -lower precedence (for example, ``*`` has precedence level ``8``). It -also tells us that ``+`` is *left associative*, which means that if we -use multiple ``+`` operations in a row (like ``1 + 2 + 3 + 4``), they -will be done from left to right (like ``((1 + 2) + 3) + 4``). +The next line tells us that the *precedence level* of ``+`` is ``7``. +It also tells us that ``+`` is *left associative*, which means +that if we use multiple ``+`` operations in a row (like ``1 + 2 + 3 + +4``), they will be done from left to right (like ``((1 + 2) + 3) + +4``). Finally, there is a description of what the operator does, and a link we can click if we want to read more about it. @@ -123,7 +128,7 @@ has a *higher* precedence (8) than addition: https://disco-lang.readthedocs.io/en/latest/reference/multiplication.html The higher precedence level of ``*`` is how Disco knows that it should -be done before (*i.e.* have parentheses put around it) before addition. +come before (*i.e.* have parentheses put around it before) addition. Exercises --------- @@ -148,24 +153,30 @@ Exercises * ``((((2 + 3) * 5) + 2) * 10) * 2`` * ``x^(2^(3^1))`` -Subtraction ------------ +Subtraction and absolute value +------------------------------ -Subtraction is written using ``-``. Also ``.-`` for saturating subtraction. +We can also perform subtraction in Disco, using the usual ``-`` +operator. As mentioned before, we can only do subtraction on integers +(``Z``) and rational numbers (``Q``); however, remember that other +numeric types can be automatically converted into one of these. -Only Z, Q support subtraction. +The absolute value function is written ``|x|`` or ``abs(x)``. It's +worth noting that absolte value turns integers into natural numbers, +and rational numbers into fractional numbers. For example: -Absolute value --------------- - -Written ``|x|`` or ``abs(x)``. +:: -Types: turns Z into N, Q into F. Show examples. + Disco> :type -3 + -3 : ℤ + Disco> :type |-3| + abs(-3) : ℕ Division -------- -Written using ``/``. Only F, Q support division. Show examples. +Division is written using ``/``. Only fractional numbers (``F``) and +rational numbers (``Q``) support division. Integer division ---------------- diff --git a/docs/introduction/types.rst b/docs/introduction/types.rst index 3f999d27..681eaa1b 100644 --- a/docs/introduction/types.rst +++ b/docs/introduction/types.rst @@ -176,6 +176,29 @@ You will learn more about these types, how to convert between them, *etc.*; for now it's important just to know that they exist and to understand the basic distinctions between them. +Note that Disco does not have floating-point numbers: all rational +numbers are stored exactly as a ratio, not as a decimal +approximation. For example, + +:: + + Disco> (1+1)/(3+4) + 2/7 + +The result of ``(1+1)/(3+4)`` is simply displayed as the fraction +``2/7``, instead of as a decimal approximation like +``0.2857142857142857``. However, we can still use decimal notation to +write rational numbers: + +:: + + Disco> 1.2 + 3.5 + 4.7 + +In this case Disco displays the answer in decimal form, since we also +used decimal form in the input; internally, however, ``4.7`` is still +represented as the exact fraction ``47/10``. + Exercises ---------