SGN: Your Sign Language Interpreter
Ever need your Commodore 64 to tell you whether a number is positive, negative, or zero? Look no further than the SGN command, your sign language interpreter! This simple yet powerful function takes any numeric value and reveals its sign, returning -1 for negative numbers, 0 for zero, and 1 for positive numbers. Think of it as your mathematical compass, always pointing you in the right direction!
Syntax
SGN(<number>)
Where:
- <number>: The numeric value whose sign you want to determine. Can be any valid numeric expression.
Applications
The SGN function is surprisingly useful for:
- Conditional logic: Make decisions based on whether a value is positive, negative, or zero.
- Sorting: Use the sign of values to arrange numbers in ascending or descending order.
- Mathematical calculations: Simplify expressions involving absolute values or comparisons.
- Game programming: Determine the direction of movement or change based on sign.
Code Examples
1. Basic Sign Determination:
10 X = -5
20 S = SGN(X) :rem S stores the sign of X
30 PRINT S :rem Output: -1
40 Y = 0
50 S = SGN(Y)
60 PRINT S :rem Output: 0
70 Z = 123
80 S = SGN(Z)
90 PRINT S :rem Output: 1
This example demonstrates how SGN returns -1 for negative, 0 for zero, and 1 for positive numbers.
2. Conditional Logic:
10 INPUT "Enter a number: "; N
20 IF SGN(N) = -1 THEN PRINT "Negative"
30 IF SGN(N) = 0 THEN PRINT "Zero"
40 IF SGN(N) = 1 THEN PRINT "Positive"
This snippet determines if the user's input is negative, zero, or positive using SGN.
SGN in the Wild: The Stock Market Tracker
Imagine you're writing a program to track stock prices. The SGN command could help you quickly identify whether a stock's price has increased (positive), decreased (negative), or remained unchanged (zero) compared to the previous day.
Don't get lost in a sea of numbers! With SGN, you can always determine the direction a number is pointing, whether it's up, down, or staying put. It's a simple yet powerful function that can enhance your Commodore 64 programming skills and add a touch of mathematical clarity to your code. So embrace the guidance of SGN and let it lead you to positive results!
