Computing derivatives of computer programs.

Bischof, C. H. ; Buecker, H. M.

Technical Information Center Oak Ridge Tennessee

关键词: Computer programs;    Quantum mechanics;    Computer codes;    Computer calculations;    Approximations;   

RP-ID  :  DE2001757545

学科分类：工程和技术（综合）

美国|英语

来源: National Technical Reports Library

【 摘 要 】

Automatic differentiation is introduced as a powerful technique to compute derivatives of functions given in the form of a computer program in a high-level programming language such as Fortran, C, or C++. In contrast to traditional approaches such as handcoding of analytic expressions, numerical approximation by divided differences, or manipulation of symbolic algebraic expressions by computer algebra systems, automatic differentiation offers the following substantial benefits; it is accurate up to machine precision, efficient in terms of computational cost, applicable to a 1-line formula as well as to a 100,000-line code, and can be produced with minimal human effort.