Re^3: how to speed up program dealing with large numbers?

in reply to Re^2: how to speed up program dealing with large numbers?
in thread how to speed up program dealing with large numbers?

thank you for the tips, one question though

I don't quite understand this line:

my $phiApprox = $fibNum <= 1 ? '***' : $fibValue1 / $fibValue2;

In paticular this part:

? '***' :

Obviously it makes $phiApprox = '***' when $fibNum is <= 1, else it performs the arithmatic. But I don't really understand why, I would never have thought of that code.

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Re^4: how to speed up program dealing with large numbers? by GrandFather (Saint) on Mar 23, 2010 at 09:50 UTC
$phiApprox is not defined in that case so rather than invent an number for it to be I used *** to indicate an unknown value. True laziness is hard work	[reply]

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