Introduction

Abstract

The mathcw package contains source code files that provide replacements for C’s elementary functions. It exists to provide improved code for use by hoc (and other software) on platforms where the native library versions are deficient, to provide access to the full C99 math library at a time when few systems have it, and to provide an insulating layer to shield other software from system dependencies. When it is important that software produce (nearly) identical results on all platforms, avoiding the use of different underlying math libraries in favor of a single consistent library can be of significant help.

Many pitfalls await a systems programmer who attempts to implement basic function routines using information gleaned from a calculus text.

— W. J. Cody, Jr. and W. Waite (1980).