Thread: Speed

  1. #1
    Registered User
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    May 2004
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    73

    Speed

    Hey everyone. You know how simple operations take different speeds? For example, addition takes less time than division. Reading takes less time than assigning. (I think) (You get the point)

    Is there some sort of table that can tell me the speeds? Or a way I can determine it? I'm trying to make a processor-intensive area faster, and I came on this problem:

    Is it faster like this...
    Code:
    int Operation( int A, int B )
    {
       int C = A + B;
       return C * C;
    }
    or...
    Code:
    int Operation( int A, int B )
    {
       return ( A + B ) * ( A + B );
    }
    It's a question of which is faster, two additions or making another integer.


    So is there some sort of table somewhere? Or a way I can find out the speeds of these operations?

  2. #2
    Registered User
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    Jan 2005
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    7,366
    It doesn't matter which is faster. Choose the one that is clearer (as long as they are close in efficiency).

    If you really want to know, you can do performance tests to see.

    I don't know of any table or resource that has that information right at hand, though. You kind of have to pick up on things as you learn.

  3. #3
    Cheesy Poofs! PJYelton's Avatar
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    Just run each operation a 100 million times in a for loop and time it yourself. I seriously doubt you'll find even the slightest bit of difference in time.

  4. #4
    C++ Developer XSquared's Avatar
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    One way to check, if you're using gcc, is to use the -S flag and compare the resulting assembly that is generated.
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