C fdim() Function

The fdim() function in C is a standard library function that computes the positive difference between two floating-point numbers. It is part of the C standard library (math.h). This function is useful for performing mathematical operations where the non-negative difference between two values is required.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. fdim() Function Syntax
  3. Understanding fdim() Function
  4. Examples
    • Computing the Positive Difference
    • Using fdim() with User Input
  5. Real-World Use Case
  6. Conclusion

Introduction

The fdim() function calculates the positive difference between two given floating-point numbers ( x ) and ( y ). The positive difference is defined as ( x - y ) if ( x > y ); otherwise, it is 0.

fdim() Function Syntax

The syntax for the fdim() function is as follows:

#include <math.h>
double fdim(double x, double y);

Parameters:

  • x: The first floating-point value.
  • y: The second floating-point value.

Returns:

  • The function returns the positive difference between x and y, which is ( x - y ) if ( x > y ); otherwise, it returns 0.

Understanding fdim() Function

The fdim() function takes two floating-point numbers ( x ) and ( y ) and returns the positive difference between them. If ( x ) is greater than ( y ), the function returns ( x - y ); otherwise, it returns 0. This function ensures that the result is always non-negative.

Examples

Computing the Positive Difference

To demonstrate how to use fdim() to compute the positive difference between two values, we will write a simple program.

Example

#include <stdio.h>
#include <math.h>

int main() {
    double x = 5.7;
    double y = 3.2;

    // Compute the positive difference
    double result = fdim(x, y);

    // Print the result
    printf("Positive difference between %.2f and %.2f is: %.2f\n", x, y, result);

    return 0;
}

Output:

Positive difference between 5.70 and 3.20 is: 2.50

Using fdim() with User Input

This example shows how to use fdim() to compute the positive difference between two values provided by the user.

Example

#include <stdio.h>
#include <math.h>

int main() {
    double x, y;

    // Get user input for the values
    printf("Enter the value for x: ");
    scanf("%lf", &x);
    printf("Enter the value for y: ");
    scanf("%lf", &y);

    // Compute the positive difference
    double result = fdim(x, y);

    // Print the result
    printf("Positive difference between %.2f and %.2f is: %.2f\n", x, y, result);

    return 0;
}

Output (example user input x "2.5" and y "3.8"):

Enter the value for x: 2.5
Enter the value for y: 3.8
Positive difference between 2.50 and 3.80 is: 0.00

Real-World Use Case

Calculating Positive Changes in Financial Applications

In real-world applications, the fdim() function can be used to calculate positive changes in financial applications, such as determining the profit when comparing two financial values.

Example: Calculating Profit

#include <stdio.h>
#include <math.h>

int main() {
    double selling_price, cost_price;
    double profit;

    // Get user input for the selling price and cost price
    printf("Enter the selling price: ");
    scanf("%lf", &selling_price);
    printf("Enter the cost price: ");
    scanf("%lf", &cost_price);

    // Calculate the profit
    profit = fdim(selling_price, cost_price);

    // Print the result
    printf("The profit is: %.2f\n", profit);

    return 0;
}

Output (example user input selling_price "150.0" and cost_price "100.0"):

Enter the selling price: 150.0
Enter the cost price: 100.0
The profit is: 50.00

Conclusion

The fdim() function is essential for computing the positive difference between two floating-point numbers in C. It is useful in various mathematical calculations, particularly in fields like finance, engineering, and scientific research, where ensuring non-negative differences is important.

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