How much would an iPhone have cost in 1991?

Re:How much would an iPhone have cost in 1991? by baddox on Friday February 07, 2014 @01:31PM (#7197849)

Just cut 3.56 million in half 12 times.

    3,560,000 * 0.5 ^ 12 ≈ 869.14

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Re:How much would an iPhone have cost in 1991? by lutusp on Friday February 07, 2014 @01:42PM (#7197919)

I offer this notational suggestion, just to avoid either a floating-point or fractional constant:

3,560,000 * 2 ^ -12 ≈ 869.14

Based on: 1/2 ^ 12 = 2 ^ -12

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Re:How much would an iPhone have cost in 1991? by baddox on Friday February 07, 2014 @01:49PM (#7197960)

That's much less clear if someone isn't aware of how negative exponents are defined. That's why I chose this notation, and why I put into words "cut in half 12 times."

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Re:How much would an iPhone have cost in 1991? by lutusp on Friday February 07, 2014 @01:58PM (#7198014)

> That's much less clear if someone isn't aware of how negative exponents are defined.

Yes, I've noticed that in other contexts. It's too bad because it makes the representation less clear, more complex than necessary. I first became aware of this when I tried to say that gravitational force declines as r^-2, to numerous protests.

Oh, well -- a tempest in a teapot, as they say.

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