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From: Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com>
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: COBOL, Article on new mainframe use
Date: Wed, 21 Aug 2024 02:06:35 -0700
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mitchalsup@aol.com (MitchAlsup1) writes:
> On Wed, 21 Aug 2024 0:52:58 +0000, Keith Thompson wrote:
>> Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> writes:
>>> On Tue, 20 Aug 2024 11:51:14 -0400, EricP wrote:
>> [...]
>>>>    x^17 = ((((x^2)^2)^2)^2)*x
>>>>
>>>
>>> I’d really like to see how you’d write that in COBOL ...
>>
>>         COMPUTE X17 = ((((X**2)**2)**2)**2)*X
>
> Why not::
>
>          COMPUTE x17 = x**17
>
> There are compilers these days that produce the above from
> the simpler evaluation.

Sure, I wouldn't complexify x**17 to ((((X**2)**2)**2)**2)*X without a
very good reason.  I was just giving the most direct answer to the
question.

-- 
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith) Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com
void Void(void) { Void(); } /* The recursive call of the void */