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Implement sin(x) with precision constraints
This question evaluates understanding of numerical methods, floating-point arithmetic, and algorithmic implementation in the Coding & Algorithms domain by requiring an approximation of the sine function under explicit error bounds.
Coding Question: Implement sin(x)
Implement a function that returns an approximation of the trigonometric sine function.
Function signature
- Input: a real number
x(in radians) - Output:
sin(x)as a floating-point number
Restrictions
- Do not call library trig functions (e.g.,
sin,cos,tan). - You may use basic arithmetic operations and constants.
Accuracy requirement
- Your result must satisfy:
- Assume the interviewer provides a specific
ε(e.g.,1e-6).
Follow-ups
- After writing a straightforward version, describe how you would optimize it (time and/or numerical stability).
- In real systems, how would you further engineer this function for performance and reliability (e.g., handling large
|x|, speed, testing, edge cases)?
Notes
- You may assume IEEE-754
doublebehavior. - Consider how your implementation behaves for very large magnitude
xand near special points (e.g., around0,π,π/2).
Approximate sin(x)
Approximate sine without calling library trig functions, using range reduction and a Taylor series.
Constraints
- Do not call math.sin/cos/tan
Examples
Example 1
Input: (0.0, 1e-08)
Output: 0.0
Explanation: sin(0).
Example 2
Input: (1.5707963267948966, 1e-08)
Output: 1.0
Explanation: Near pi/2.
Hints
- Reduce x to [-pi, pi], then evaluate the alternating Taylor series.