Why doesn't GCC optimize a*a*a*a*a*a to (a*a*a)*(a*a*a)?

The optimization you're describing, where a*a*a*a*a*a is optimized to (a*a*a)*(a*a*a), is based on associativity and reordering of operations. However, most compilers, including GCC, typically do not perform this kind of algebraic manipulation automatically. Compiler optimizations are generally more focused on low-level optimizations that involve machine code instructions and memory access patterns rather than algebraic simplifications.

Optimizations like (a*a*a)*(a*a*a) could potentially have implications on floating-point accuracy and might not always be valid due to floating-point precision issues. This is why compilers tend to be cautious about automatically performing such transformations.

Instead, if you want to ensure that a specific algebraic simplification is applied, you might need to perform it manually in your code, or rely on compiler flags that allow specific optimizations.

For example, in GCC, you can use optimization flags like -O2 or -O3 to enable more aggressive optimizations. However, even with these flags, there's no guarantee that the specific simplification you mentioned will be applied.

Here's an example to demonstrate:

c

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    double a = 2.0;
    double result = a * a * a * a * a * a;
    
    printf("Result: %lf\n", result);

    return 0;
}

Even with aggressive optimization flags (-O2 or -O3), GCC is unlikely to transform the expression a * a * a * a * a * a into a different form because of the complexity of algebraic transformations and the potential for floating-point inaccuracies.

If such specific algebraic simplifications are critical for your code, it's often better to manually apply them in a way that suits your precision and performance requirements.

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