Benchmark: Math.abs speed vs multiply

Script Preparation code:

var x = -0.7
var abs = Math.abs

Tests:

Math.abs(x) <1
Math.abs(x) < 1
compare x*x <1
x*x < 1

Rendered benchmark preparation results:

Suite status: <idle, ready to run>

Previous results

Test case name	Result
Math.abs(x) <1
compare x*x <1

Fastest: N/A

Slowest: N/A

Autogenerated LLM Summary (model llama3.2:3b, generated 25 days ago):

LLMs can make mistakes. Check important info.

I'd be happy to explain the provided benchmark and its intricacies.

**Benchmark Overview**

The provided benchmark compares the performance of two approaches: using `Math.abs` and multiplying the number `x` by itself (`x*x`). The benchmark aims to determine which approach is faster for both conditions: when `x` is less than 1, and when `x` is not less than 1.

**Benchmark Preparation Code**

The script preparation code provides an initial value of `x = -0.7` and initializes the `abs` variable with the `Math.abs` function. This setup allows the benchmark to start measuring the performance differences between the two approaches from a common starting point.

**Test Cases**

There are two individual test cases:

1. `Math.abs(x) < 1`: This test case measures the performance of using the `Math.abs` function when checking if `x` is less than 1.
2. `compare x*x < 1`: This test case measures the performance of multiplying `x` by itself (`x*x`) when checking if `x` squared is less than 1.

**Library and Special JS Features**

In this benchmark, there is no specific library being used, but rather a part of the JavaScript standard library. The only notable mention is the use of `Math.abs`, which is a built-in function for calculating the absolute value of a number.

There are no special JavaScript features or syntax being tested in this benchmark.

**Approach Comparison**

The two approaches being compared are:

1. **Using `Math.abs`**: This approach uses the `Math.abs` function to calculate the absolute value of `x`. It is generally faster and more efficient than calculating `x*x`, especially for small negative values like `-0.7`.
2. **Multiplying by itself (`x*x`)**: This approach multiplies `x` by itself, which can lead to slower performance due to the multiplication operation.

**Pros and Cons**

**Using `Math.abs`:**

Pros:

* Faster execution speed
* More efficient for small negative values

Cons: None mentioned in this benchmark.

**Multiplying by itself (`x*x`)**

Pros:

None mentioned in this benchmark.

Cons:

* Slower execution speed compared to using `Math.abs`
* May lead to slower performance for large or complex calculations

**Other Considerations**

In general, when deciding between these two approaches, consider the specific use case and requirements. If you need to check if a value is negative but don't care about its absolute value, using `x*x` might be acceptable. However, if speed and efficiency are crucial, using `Math.abs` is generally a better choice.

**Alternative Approaches**

Other alternatives for calculating absolute values or comparing values include:

* `Number.isInteger(x)` (for checking if `x` is an integer)
* `Number.isNegative(x)` (for checking if `x` is negative)
* Custom implementations using bitwise operations

Keep in mind that the choice of approach depends on the specific requirements and performance needs of your project.

**Benchmark Considerations**

When running this benchmark, consider the following:

* Test cases: Ensure that test cases cover a range of values for `x`, including positive, negative, and zero values.
* Browser and device compatibility: The benchmark uses Chrome 115, but you may want to run it on other browsers or devices to ensure consistency.
* Execution environment: Be aware of the execution environment's limitations, such as memory constraints or resource availability.

By considering these factors, you can ensure that your benchmark provides accurate and reliable results.

Latest run results:

Run details: (Test run date: one year ago)

User agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_7) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/115.0.0.0 Safari/537.36

Browser/OS: Chrome 115 on Mac OS X 10.15.7

View result in a separate tab

Test name	Executions per second
Math.abs(x) <1	6569681.5 Ops/sec
compare x*x <1	9839886.0 Ops/sec

Related benchmarks:

Math.abs speed vs multiply (version: 0)

Comparing performance of: Math.abs(x) <1 vs compare x*x <1

Created: one year ago by: Guest

Jump to the latest result

Math.abs(x) <1

compare x*x <1

Suite status: <idle, ready to run>

Experimental features:

Fastest: N/A

Slowest: N/A

Autogenerated LLM Summary (model llama3.2:3b, generated 25 days ago):