GNU Info

(gmp.info)Nomenclature and Types

---

Next: Function Classes Prev: GMP Basics Up: GMP Basics

---

Enter node , (file) or (file)node

Nomenclature and Types
======================

In this manual, "integer" usually means a multiple precision integer, as
defined by the GMP library.  The C data type for such integers is
`mpz_t'.  Here are some examples of how to declare such integers:

     mpz_t sum;
     
     struct foo { mpz_t x, y; };
     
     mpz_t vec[20];

"Rational number" means a multiple precision fraction.  The C data type
for these fractions is `mpq_t'.  For example:

     mpq_t quotient;

"Floating point number" or "Float" for short, is an arbitrary precision
mantissa with a limited precision exponent.  The C data type for such
objects is `mpf_t'.

A "limb" means the part of a multi-precision number that fits in a
single machine word.  (We chose this word because a limb of the human
body is analogous to a digit, only larger, and containing several
digits.)  Normally a limb is 32 or 64 bits.  The C data type for a limb
is `mp_limb_t'.