Average Error: 32.5 → 9.6
Time: 4.5s
Precision: binary64
\[\frac{\left(-b\right) + \sqrt{b \cdot b - 4 \cdot \left(a \cdot c\right)}}{2 \cdot a}\]
\[\begin{array}{l} \mathbf{if}\;b \le -1.019221836402376 \cdot 10^{116}:\\ \;\;\;\;1 \cdot \left(\frac{c}{b} - \frac{b}{a}\right)\\ \mathbf{elif}\;b \le 5.51314038804235395 \cdot 10^{-45}:\\ \;\;\;\;\frac{\left(-b\right) + \sqrt{b \cdot b - 4 \cdot \left(a \cdot c\right)}}{2 \cdot a}\\ \mathbf{else}:\\ \;\;\;\;-1 \cdot \frac{c}{b}\\ \end{array}\]

Error

Bits error versus a

Bits error versus b

Bits error versus c

Target

Original32.5
Target22.4
Herbie9.6
\[\begin{array}{l} \mathbf{if}\;b \lt 0.0:\\ \;\;\;\;\frac{\left(-b\right) + \sqrt{b \cdot b - 4 \cdot \left(a \cdot c\right)}}{2 \cdot a}\\ \mathbf{else}:\\ \;\;\;\;\frac{c}{a \cdot \frac{\left(-b\right) - \sqrt{b \cdot b - 4 \cdot \left(a \cdot c\right)}}{2 \cdot a}}\\ \end{array}\]

Derivation

  1. Split input into 3 regimes
  2. if b < -1.019221836402376e116

    1. Initial program 52.3

      \[\frac{\left(-b\right) + \sqrt{b \cdot b - 4 \cdot \left(a \cdot c\right)}}{2 \cdot a}\]
    2. Taylor expanded around -inf 3.4

      \[\leadsto \color{blue}{1 \cdot \frac{c}{b} - 1 \cdot \frac{b}{a}}\]
    3. Simplified3.4

      \[\leadsto \color{blue}{1 \cdot \left(\frac{c}{b} - \frac{b}{a}\right)}\]

    if -1.019221836402376e116 < b < 5.51314038804235395e-45

    1. Initial program 13.3

      \[\frac{\left(-b\right) + \sqrt{b \cdot b - 4 \cdot \left(a \cdot c\right)}}{2 \cdot a}\]

    if 5.51314038804235395e-45 < b

    1. Initial program 54.8

      \[\frac{\left(-b\right) + \sqrt{b \cdot b - 4 \cdot \left(a \cdot c\right)}}{2 \cdot a}\]
    2. Taylor expanded around inf 7.2

      \[\leadsto \color{blue}{-1 \cdot \frac{c}{b}}\]
  3. Recombined 3 regimes into one program.
  4. Final simplification9.6

    \[\leadsto \begin{array}{l} \mathbf{if}\;b \le -1.019221836402376 \cdot 10^{116}:\\ \;\;\;\;1 \cdot \left(\frac{c}{b} - \frac{b}{a}\right)\\ \mathbf{elif}\;b \le 5.51314038804235395 \cdot 10^{-45}:\\ \;\;\;\;\frac{\left(-b\right) + \sqrt{b \cdot b - 4 \cdot \left(a \cdot c\right)}}{2 \cdot a}\\ \mathbf{else}:\\ \;\;\;\;-1 \cdot \frac{c}{b}\\ \end{array}\]

Reproduce

herbie shell --seed 2020156 
(FPCore (a b c)
  :name "quadp (p42, positive)"
  :precision binary64

  :herbie-target
  (if (< b 0.0) (/ (+ (neg b) (sqrt (- (* b b) (* 4.0 (* a c))))) (* 2.0 a)) (/ c (* a (/ (- (neg b) (sqrt (- (* b b) (* 4.0 (* a c))))) (* 2.0 a)))))

  (/ (+ (neg b) (sqrt (- (* b b) (* 4.0 (* a c))))) (* 2.0 a)))