We have three examples that you can try. In two cases they are calculating important numbers in mathematics, namely Pi and e, while the third gives 0.75. The three values are determined using infinite series - adding up infinitely many numbers. This is not practically possible, and instead you should determine to do only a certain limited number. The speed at which the three series approach the correct value are very different. The series determining e is very fast and only need the sum of 10 numbers to get a good result, while the series for Pi is very slow and requires more than 100 numbers to get closer than 0.01 to the real value!
Assume that you are 10 people working together on this sat in a large ring. Assign a part of the series to each of you. The first may take the first 3 numbers, the second the next 3 numbers and so on. Calculate the sum of you individual numbers and write it on another piece of paper. Pass this paper to the one to you right. Add your number to the one on the piece of paper just passed to you and then pass it on to your right again. Continue until you once again have the sheet that you started with. Then compare the results - are they the same or has someone made mistakes on the way?
To test the importance of the accuracy, do the same again, this time allowing a different accuracy on each sheet. At first only use two numbers after the decimal point in all of the calculations. Then try the same again using 3 numbers, then 4, 5, and so on.
You could skip the human computer idea and take a look at this page instead!
Return to Computing in the past.