big: usable zero Rat values without need for explicit initialization

- no explicit API change, but new(big.Rat) now creates a big.Rat value
  of 0 that is immediately usable, in sync. w/ the conventions elsewhere
- various cleanups along the way

R=r
CC=golang-dev
https://golang.org/cl/5301056

src/pkg/big/int.go

@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ func (z *Int) Quo(x, y *Int) *Int {
 // If y == 0, a division-by-zero run-time panic occurs.
 // Rem implements truncated modulus (like Go); see QuoRem for more details.
 func (z *Int) Rem(x, y *Int) *Int {
-	_, z.abs = nat(nil).div(z.abs, x.abs, y.abs)
+	_, z.abs = nat{}.div(z.abs, x.abs, y.abs)
 	z.neg = len(z.abs) > 0 && x.neg // 0 has no sign
 	return z
 }

src/pkg/big/nat.go

@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ import (
 // During arithmetic operations, denormalized values may occur but are
 // always normalized before returning the final result. The normalized
 // representation of 0 is the empty or nil slice (length = 0).
-
+//
 type nat []Word
 
 var (
@@ -447,10 +447,10 @@ func (z nat) mulRange(a, b uint64) nat {
 	case a == b:
 		return z.setUint64(a)
 	case a+1 == b:
-		return z.mul(nat(nil).setUint64(a), nat(nil).setUint64(b))
+		return z.mul(nat{}.setUint64(a), nat{}.setUint64(b))
 	}
 	m := (a + b) / 2
-	return z.mul(nat(nil).mulRange(a, m), nat(nil).mulRange(m+1, b))
+	return z.mul(nat{}.mulRange(a, m), nat{}.mulRange(m+1, b))
 }
 
 // q = (x-r)/y, with 0 <= r < y
@@ -589,7 +589,6 @@ func (x nat) bitLen() int {
 // MaxBase is the largest number base accepted for string conversions.
 const MaxBase = 'z' - 'a' + 10 + 1 // = hexValue('z') + 1
 
-
 func hexValue(ch int) Word {
 	d := MaxBase + 1 // illegal base
 	switch {
@@ -786,7 +785,7 @@ func (x nat) string(charset string) string {
 	}
 
 	// preserve x, create local copy for use in repeated divisions
-	q := nat(nil).set(x)
+	q := nat{}.set(x)
 	var r Word
 
 	// convert
@@ -1192,11 +1191,11 @@ func (n nat) probablyPrime(reps int) bool {
 		return false
 	}
 
-	nm1 := nat(nil).sub(n, natOne)
+	nm1 := nat{}.sub(n, natOne)
 	// 1<<k * q = nm1;
 	q, k := nm1.powersOfTwoDecompose()
 
-	nm3 := nat(nil).sub(nm1, natTwo)
+	nm3 := nat{}.sub(nm1, natTwo)
 	rand := rand.New(rand.NewSource(int64(n[0])))
 
 	var x, y, quotient nat

src/pkg/big/nat_test.go

@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ var prodNN = []argNN{
 
 func TestSet(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, a := range sumNN {
-		z := nat(nil).set(a.z)
+		z := nat{}.set(a.z)
 		if z.cmp(a.z) != 0 {
 			t.Errorf("got z = %v; want %v", z, a.z)
 		}
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ var mulRangesN = []struct {
 
 func TestMulRangeN(t *testing.T) {
 	for i, r := range mulRangesN {
-		prod := nat(nil).mulRange(r.a, r.b).decimalString()
+		prod := nat{}.mulRange(r.a, r.b).decimalString()
 		if prod != r.prod {
 			t.Errorf("#%d: got %s; want %s", i, prod, r.prod)
 		}
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ func toString(x nat, charset string) string {
 	s := make([]byte, i)
 
 	// don't destroy x
-	q := nat(nil).set(x)
+	q := nat{}.set(x)
 
 	// convert
 	for len(q) > 0 {
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ func TestString(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Errorf("string%+v\n\tgot s = %s; want %s", a, s, a.s)
 		}
 
-		x, b, err := nat(nil).scan(strings.NewReader(a.s), len(a.c))
+		x, b, err := nat{}.scan(strings.NewReader(a.s), len(a.c))
 		if x.cmp(a.x) != 0 {
 			t.Errorf("scan%+v\n\tgot z = %v; want %v", a, x, a.x)
 		}
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ var natScanTests = []struct {
 func TestScanBase(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, a := range natScanTests {
 		r := strings.NewReader(a.s)
-		x, b, err := nat(nil).scan(r, a.base)
+		x, b, err := nat{}.scan(r, a.base)
 		if err == nil && !a.ok {
 			t.Errorf("scan%+v\n\texpected error", a)
 		}
@@ -651,17 +651,17 @@ var expNNTests = []struct {
 
 func TestExpNN(t *testing.T) {
 	for i, test := range expNNTests {
-		x, _, _ := nat(nil).scan(strings.NewReader(test.x), 0)
+		x, _, _ := nat{}.scan(strings.NewReader(test.x), 0)
-		y, _, _ := nat(nil).scan(strings.NewReader(test.y), 0)
+		y, _, _ := nat{}.scan(strings.NewReader(test.y), 0)
-		out, _, _ := nat(nil).scan(strings.NewReader(test.out), 0)
+		out, _, _ := nat{}.scan(strings.NewReader(test.out), 0)
 
 		var m nat
 
 		if len(test.m) > 0 {
-			m, _, _ = nat(nil).scan(strings.NewReader(test.m), 0)
+			m, _, _ = nat{}.scan(strings.NewReader(test.m), 0)
 		}
 
-		z := nat(nil).expNN(x, y, m)
+		z := nat{}.expNN(x, y, m)
 		if z.cmp(out) != 0 {
 			t.Errorf("#%d got %v want %v", i, z, out)
 		}

src/pkg/big/rat.go

@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@ import (
 )
 
 // A Rat represents a quotient a/b of arbitrary precision.
-// The zero value for a Rat, 0/0, is not a legal Rat.
+// The zero value for a Rat represents the value 0.
 type Rat struct {
 	a Int
-	b nat
+	b nat // len(b) == 0 acts like b == 1
 }
 
 // NewRat creates a new Rat with numerator a and denominator b.
@@ -29,8 +29,11 @@ func NewRat(a, b int64) *Rat {
 func (z *Rat) SetFrac(a, b *Int) *Rat {
 	z.a.neg = a.neg != b.neg
 	babs := b.abs
+	if len(babs) == 0 {
+		panic("division by zero")
+	}
 	if &z.a == b || alias(z.a.abs, babs) {
-		babs = nat(nil).set(babs) // make a copy
+		babs = nat{}.set(babs) // make a copy
 	}
 	z.a.abs = z.a.abs.set(a.abs)
 	z.b = z.b.set(babs)
@@ -40,6 +43,9 @@ func (z *Rat) SetFrac(a, b *Int) *Rat {
 // SetFrac64 sets z to a/b and returns z.
 func (z *Rat) SetFrac64(a, b int64) *Rat {
 	z.a.SetInt64(a)
+	if b == 0 {
+		panic("division by zero")
+	}
 	if b < 0 {
 		b = -b
 		z.a.neg = !z.a.neg
@@ -51,14 +57,14 @@ func (z *Rat) SetFrac64(a, b int64) *Rat {
 // SetInt sets z to x (by making a copy of x) and returns z.
 func (z *Rat) SetInt(x *Int) *Rat {
 	z.a.Set(x)
-	z.b = z.b.setWord(1)
+	z.b = z.b.make(0)
 	return z
 }
 
 // SetInt64 sets z to x and returns z.
 func (z *Rat) SetInt64(x int64) *Rat {
 	z.a.SetInt64(x)
-	z.b = z.b.setWord(1)
+	z.b = z.b.make(0)
 	return z
 }
 
@@ -91,7 +97,15 @@ func (z *Rat) Inv(x *Rat) *Rat {
 		panic("division by zero")
 	}
 	z.Set(x)
-	z.a.abs, z.b = z.b, z.a.abs // sign doesn't change
+	a := z.b
+	if len(a) == 0 {
+		a = a.setWord(1) // materialize numerator
+	}
+	b := z.a.abs
+	if b.cmp(natOne) == 0 {
+		b = b.make(0) // normalize denominator
+	}
+	z.a.abs, z.b = a, b // sign doesn't change
 	return z
 }
 
@@ -107,21 +121,24 @@ func (x *Rat) Sign() int {
 
 // IsInt returns true if the denominator of x is 1.
 func (x *Rat) IsInt() bool {
-	return len(x.b) == 1 && x.b[0] == 1
+	return len(x.b) == 0 || x.b.cmp(natOne) == 0
 }
 
-// Num returns the numerator of z; it may be <= 0.
+// Num returns the numerator of x; it may be <= 0.
-// The result is a reference to z's numerator; it
+// The result is a reference to x's numerator; it
-// may change if a new value is assigned to z.
+// may change if a new value is assigned to x.
-func (z *Rat) Num() *Int {
+func (x *Rat) Num() *Int {
-	return &z.a
+	return &x.a
 }
 
-// Denom returns the denominator of z; it is always > 0.
+// Denom returns the denominator of x; it is always > 0.
-// The result is a reference to z's denominator; it
+// The result is a reference to x's denominator; it
-// may change if a new value is assigned to z.
+// may change if a new value is assigned to x.
-func (z *Rat) Denom() *Int {
+func (x *Rat) Denom() *Int {
-	return &Int{false, z.b}
+	if len(x.b) == 0 {
+		return &Int{abs: nat{1}}
+	}
+	return &Int{abs: x.b}
 }
 
 func gcd(x, y nat) nat {
@@ -139,24 +156,47 @@ func gcd(x, y nat) nat {
 }
 
 func (z *Rat) norm() *Rat {
-	f := gcd(z.a.abs, z.b)
+	switch {
-	if len(z.a.abs) == 0 {
+	case len(z.a.abs) == 0:
-		// z == 0
+		// z == 0 - normalize sign and denominator
-		z.a.neg = false // normalize sign
+		z.a.neg = false
-		z.b = z.b.setWord(1)
+		z.b = z.b.make(0)
-		return z
+	case len(z.b) == 0:
-	}
+		// z is normalized int - nothing to do
-	if f.cmp(natOne) != 0 {
+	case z.b.cmp(natOne) == 0:
+		// z is int - normalize denominator
+		z.b = z.b.make(0)
+	default:
+		if f := gcd(z.a.abs, z.b); f.cmp(natOne) != 0 {
 			z.a.abs, _ = z.a.abs.div(nil, z.a.abs, f)
 			z.b, _ = z.b.div(nil, z.b, f)
 		}
+	}
 	return z
 }
 
-func mulNat(x *Int, y nat) *Int {
+// mulDenom sets z to the denominator product x*y (by taking into
+// account that 0 values for x or y must be interpreted as 1) and
+// returns z.
+func mulDenom(z, x, y nat) nat {
+	switch {
+	case len(x) == 0:
+		return z.set(y)
+	case len(y) == 0:
+		return z.set(x)
+	}
+	return z.mul(x, y)
+}
+
+// scaleDenom computes x*f.
+// If f == 0 (zero value of denominator), the result is (a copy of) x.
+func scaleDenom(x *Int, f nat) *Int {
 	var z Int
-	z.abs = z.abs.mul(x.abs, y)
+	if len(f) == 0 {
-	z.neg = len(z.abs) > 0 && x.neg
+		return z.Set(x)
+	}
+	z.abs = z.abs.mul(x.abs, f)
+	z.neg = x.neg
 	return &z
 }
 
@@ -167,31 +207,31 @@ func mulNat(x *Int, y nat) *Int {
 //   +1 if x >  y
 //
 func (x *Rat) Cmp(y *Rat) int {
-	return mulNat(&x.a, y.b).Cmp(mulNat(&y.a, x.b))
+	return scaleDenom(&x.a, y.b).Cmp(scaleDenom(&y.a, x.b))
 }
 
 // Add sets z to the sum x+y and returns z.
 func (z *Rat) Add(x, y *Rat) *Rat {
-	a1 := mulNat(&x.a, y.b)
+	a1 := scaleDenom(&x.a, y.b)
-	a2 := mulNat(&y.a, x.b)
+	a2 := scaleDenom(&y.a, x.b)
 	z.a.Add(a1, a2)
-	z.b = z.b.mul(x.b, y.b)
+	z.b = mulDenom(z.b, x.b, y.b)
 	return z.norm()
 }
 
 // Sub sets z to the difference x-y and returns z.
 func (z *Rat) Sub(x, y *Rat) *Rat {
-	a1 := mulNat(&x.a, y.b)
+	a1 := scaleDenom(&x.a, y.b)
-	a2 := mulNat(&y.a, x.b)
+	a2 := scaleDenom(&y.a, x.b)
 	z.a.Sub(a1, a2)
-	z.b = z.b.mul(x.b, y.b)
+	z.b = mulDenom(z.b, x.b, y.b)
 	return z.norm()
 }
 
 // Mul sets z to the product x*y and returns z.
 func (z *Rat) Mul(x, y *Rat) *Rat {
 	z.a.Mul(&x.a, &y.a)
-	z.b = z.b.mul(x.b, y.b)
+	z.b = mulDenom(z.b, x.b, y.b)
 	return z.norm()
 }
 
@@ -201,8 +241,8 @@ func (z *Rat) Quo(x, y *Rat) *Rat {
 	if len(y.a.abs) == 0 {
 		panic("division by zero")
 	}
-	a := mulNat(&x.a, y.b)
+	a := scaleDenom(&x.a, y.b)
-	b := mulNat(&y.a, x.b)
+	b := scaleDenom(&y.a, x.b)
 	z.a.abs = a.abs
 	z.b = b.abs
 	z.a.neg = a.neg != b.neg
@@ -281,7 +321,7 @@ func (z *Rat) SetString(s string) (*Rat, bool) {
 		z.norm()
 	} else {
 		z.a.abs = z.a.abs.mul(z.a.abs, powTen)
-		z.b = z.b.setWord(1)
+		z.b = z.b.make(0)
 	}
 
 	return z, true
@@ -289,7 +329,11 @@ func (z *Rat) SetString(s string) (*Rat, bool) {
 
 // String returns a string representation of z in the form "a/b" (even if b == 1).
 func (z *Rat) String() string {
-	return z.a.String() + "/" + z.b.decimalString()
+	s := "/1"
+	if len(z.b) != 0 {
+		s = "/" + z.b.decimalString()
+	}
+	return z.a.String() + s
 }
 
 // RatString returns a string representation of z in the form "a/b" if b != 1,
@@ -311,6 +355,7 @@ func (z *Rat) FloatString(prec int) string {
 		}
 		return s
 	}
+	// z.b != 0
 
 	q, r := nat{}.div(nat{}, z.a.abs, z.b)
 

src/pkg/big/rat_test.go

@@ -11,6 +11,46 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 )
 
+func TestZeroRat(t *testing.T) {
+	var x, y, z Rat
+	y.SetFrac64(0, 42)
+
+	if x.Cmp(&y) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("x and y should be both equal and zero")
+	}
+
+	if s := x.String(); s != "0/1" {
+		t.Errorf("got x = %s, want 0/1", s)
+	}
+
+	if s := x.RatString(); s != "0" {
+		t.Errorf("got x = %s, want 0", s)
+	}
+
+	z.Add(&x, &y)
+	if s := z.RatString(); s != "0" {
+		t.Errorf("got x+y = %s, want 0", s)
+	}
+
+	z.Sub(&x, &y)
+	if s := z.RatString(); s != "0" {
+		t.Errorf("got x-y = %s, want 0", s)
+	}
+
+	z.Mul(&x, &y)
+	if s := z.RatString(); s != "0" {
+		t.Errorf("got x*y = %s, want 0", s)
+	}
+
+	// check for division by zero
+	defer func() {
+		if s := recover(); s == nil || s.(string) != "division by zero" {
+			panic(s)
+		}
+	}()
+	z.Quo(&x, &y)
+}
+
 var setStringTests = []struct {
 	in, out string
 	ok      bool
@@ -174,7 +214,7 @@ func TestIsInt(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestRatAbs(t *testing.T) {
-	zero := NewRat(0, 1)
+	zero := new(Rat)
 	for _, a := range setStringTests {
 		x, ok := new(Rat).SetString(a.in)
 		if !ok {
@@ -192,7 +232,7 @@ func TestRatAbs(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestRatNeg(t *testing.T) {
-	zero := NewRat(0, 1)
+	zero := new(Rat)
 	for _, a := range setStringTests {
 		x, ok := new(Rat).SetString(a.in)
 		if !ok {
@@ -207,7 +247,7 @@ func TestRatNeg(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestRatInv(t *testing.T) {
-	zero := NewRat(0, 1)
+	zero := new(Rat)
 	for _, a := range setStringTests {
 		x, ok := new(Rat).SetString(a.in)
 		if !ok {