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BigInteger Example
This page was last reviewed on Jan 4, 2024.
Dot Net Perls
BigInteger. Occasionally large integers are needed in VB.NET programs, even ones that exceed the maximum value of a double. BigInteger can accommodate these values.
By calling New, we can create a BigInteger from a Double. And with Add() we combine two BigIntegers and receive another BigInteger. We call ToString() to convert a BigInteger to a String.
Example. To create a BigInteger, we need to call the New Function, which is the constructor. We can pass a value like a Double to the New Function.
Step 1 We create the BigIntegers needed for the code example from the Double.MaxValue constant.
Step 2 The BigInteger Class has a Shared Add() Function on it, and this function adds its two arguments together.
Shared
Step 3 We use string interpolation to print out the values. We have doubled the Double.MaxValue, which would not fit inside an actual Double.
String Interpolation
Double
Step 4 A BigInteger can contain 309 digits, and even more, without issues. This is truly a large numeric type.
Imports System.Numerics Module Module1 Sub Main() ' Step 1: create 2 BigIntegers, based on double.MaxValue. Dim big1 As BigInteger = New BigInteger(Double.MaxValue) Dim big2 As BigInteger = New BigInteger(Double.MaxValue) ' Step 2: call Add() to add the BigIntegers. Dim result As BigInteger = BigInteger.Add(big1, big2) ' Step 3: print out the values. Console.WriteLine($"DOUBLE MAX: {big1}") Console.WriteLine($"DOUBLE MAX * 2: {result}") ' Step 4: print the digit count of the BigInteger. Console.WriteLine($"DIGITS: {result.ToString().Length}") End Sub End Module
DOUBLE MAX: 179769313486...50404026184124858368 DOUBLE MAX * 2: 359538626972...500808052368249716736 DIGITS: 309
When a Double is not enough for a certain numeric type, consider the BigInteger type, which can handle much larger numbers. It is not going to help performance if used extensively in hot loops.
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Sam Allen is passionate about computer languages. In the past, his work has been recommended by Apple and Microsoft and he has studied computers at a selective university in the United States.
This page was last updated on Jan 4, 2024 (new).
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