Next: Naming Scheme Up: Structure of LAPACK Previous: Levels of Routines Contents Index

## Data Types and Precision

LAPACK provides the same range of functionality for real and complex data.

For most computations there are matching routines, one for real and one for complex data, but there are a few exceptions. For example, corresponding to the routines for real symmetric indefinite systems of linear equations, there are routines for complex Hermitian and complex symmetric systems, because both types of complex systems occur in practical applications. However, there is no complex analogue of the routine for finding selected eigenvalues of a real symmetric tridiagonal matrix, because a complex Hermitian matrix can always be reduced to a real symmetric tridiagonal matrix.

Matching routines for real and complex data have been coded to maintain a close correspondence between the two, wherever possible. However, in some areas (especially the nonsymmetric eigenproblem) the correspondence is necessarily weaker.

All routines in LAPACK are provided in both single and double precision versions. The double precision versions have been generated automatically, using Toolpack/1 [88].

Double precision routines for complex matrices require the non-standard Fortran data type COMPLEX*16, which is available on most machines where double precision computation is usual.

Next: Naming Scheme Up: Structure of LAPACK Previous: Levels of Routines Contents Index