← Back to context

Comment by tromp

17 hours ago

To find the largest number that is computable by a program of at most 64 bits in a non-cheating language; i.e. one that's not geared toward producing large numbers.

Do you have a mathematical formulation, or?

Ultimately you seem to pick a random definition of computing and size and then work with that?

  • "Computable" has a well-known standard definition in this context, meaning a computable function[1]. In a given model of computation, a computable function is one for which an algorithm exists which computes the value of the function for every value of its argument. For example, the successor function adds 1 to an input number, and is computable. The halting problem (determine whether a program given in the argument halts) is not computable.

    [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computable_function

    • > "Computable" has a well-known standard definition in this context, meaning a computable function

      Indeed. Also every integer is computable, and a computation doesn't have size. That's what everyone is telling in the comments.