NAME
    Test::Number::Delta - Compare if the difference between two numbers is
    within a specified amount

SYNOPSIS
      # Default tolerance
      use Test::Number::Delta;
      delta_ok( 1e-5, 2e-5, 'values within 1e-6'); # not ok
  
      # Specific tolerance for a single test
      delta_within( 1e-3, 2e-3, 1e-4, 'values within 1e-4'); not ok
  
      # Set a different default tolerance 
      use Test::Number::Delta within => 1e-5;
      delta_ok( 1e-5, 2e-5, 'values within 1e-5'); # ok
  
      # Set a relative tolerance
      use Test::Number::Delta relative => 1e-3;
      delta_ok( 1.01, 1.0099, 'values within 1.01e-3'); # ok

DESCRIPTION
    Most programmers at one time or another are confronted with the issue of
    comparing floating-point numbers for equality. The typical idiom is to
    test if the absolute value of the difference of the numbers is within a
    desired tolerance, usually called epsilon. This module provides such a
    function for use with Test::Harness. Usage is similar to other test
    functions described in Test::More. Semantically, the `delta_within'
    function replaces this kind of construct:

     ok ( abs($p - $q) <= $epsilon, '$p is equal to $q' ) or
         diag "$p is not equal to $q to within $epsilon";

    While there's nothing wrong with that construct, it's a pain to type it
    repeatedly in a test script. This module does the same thing with a
    single function call. The `delta_ok' function is similar, but either
    uses a global default value for epsilon so that it does not need to be
    specified repeatedly or else calculates a 'relative' epsilon on the fly
    so that epsilon is scaled automatically to the size of the arguments to
    `delta_ok'. Both functions are exported automatically.

USAGE
  use Test::Number::Delta;

    With no arguments, epsilon defaults to 1e-6. (An arbitrary choice on my
    part.)

  use Test::Number::Delta within => 1e-9;

    To specify a different default value for epsilon, provide a `within'
    parameter when importing the module.

  use Test::Number::Delta relative => 1e-3;

    As an alternative to using a fixed value for epsilon, provide a
    `relative' parameter when importing the module. This signals that
    `delta_ok' should test equality with an epsilon that is scaled to the
    size of the arguments. Epsilon is calculated as the relative value times
    the absolute value of the argument with the greatest magnitude.
    Mathematically, for arguments 'x' and 'y':

     epsilon = relative * max( abs(x), abs(y) )

    For example, a relative value of "0.01" would mean that the arguments
    are equal if they differ by no more than 1% of the larger of the two
    values. A relative value of 1e-6 means that the arguments must differ by
    no more than 1 millionth of the larger value.

  Combining with a test plan

     use Test::Number::Delta 'no_plan';
 
     # or
 
     use Test::Number::Delta within => 1e-9, tests => 1;
 
    If a test plan has not already been specified, the optional parameter
    for Test::Number::Delta may be followed with a test plan (see Test::More
    for details). If a parameter for Test::Number::Delta is given, it must
    come first.

FUNCTIONS
  delta_within

     delta_within( $p, $q, $epsilon, '$p and $q are equal within $epsilon' );

    This test compares equality within a given value of epsilon. The test is
    true if the absolute value of the difference between $p and $q is less
    than or equal to epsilon. If the test is true, it prints an "OK"
    statement for use in testing. If the test is not true, this function
    prints a failure report and diagnostic.

  delta_ok

     delta_ok( $p, $q, '$p and $q are close enough to equal' );

    This test compares equality using one of two pre-set approaches for
    determining epsilon. (See USAGE) If a `within' parameter was provided
    during `use', that value is the default for epsilon. If a `relative'
    parameter was provided, that value is multiplied by the larger absolute
    value of the arguments to `delta_ok' to determine epsilon for that
    comparison. If neither parameter was specified, the default epsilon is
    1e-6.

    The test is true if the absolute value of the difference between $p and
    $q is less than or equal to epsilon. If the test is true, it prints an
    "OK" statement for use in testing. If the test is not true, this
    function prints a failure report and diagnostic.

BUGS
    Please report bugs using the CPAN Request Tracker at
    http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/Bugs.html?Dist=Test-Number-Delta

AUTHOR
    David A Golden <dagolden@cpan.org>

    http://dagolden.com/

COPYRIGHT
    Copyright (c) 2005 by David A. Golden

    This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
    under the same terms as Perl itself.

    The full text of the license can be found in the LICENSE file included
    with this module.

SEE ALSO
    Test::More, Test::Harness, Test::Builder