About the ''accurate mode'' of the IEEE 1788-2015 standard for interval arithmetic

TL;DR

This paper examines the 'accurate mode' in IEEE 1788-2015 interval arithmetic standard, proposing testing methods and discussing its relevance and potential removal in future standards.

Contribution

It defines the accurate mode, develops unit testing pairs for verification, and discusses its importance and possible obsolescence in the standard.

Findings

Proposed unit testing approach for accurate mode

Discussion on the relevance of accurate mode

Consideration of dropping the accurate mode in future standards

Abstract

The IEEE 1788-2015 standard for interval arithmetic defines three accuracy modes for the so-called set-based flavor: tightest, accurate and valid. This work in progress focuses on the accurate mode.First, an introduction to interval arithmetic and to the IEEE 1788-2015 standard is given, then the accurate mode is defined. How can this accurate mode be tested, when a library implementing interval arithmetic claims to provide this mode? The chosen approach is unit testing, and the elaboration of testing pairs for this approach is developed.A discussion closes this paper: how can the tester be tested? And if we go to the roots of the subject, is the accurate mode really relevant or should it be dropped off in the next version of the standard?