Add ability to store Fraction in original format

[tomhv]

Currently functionality

echo new Fraction(2,4); // 1/2

Proposed functionality

echo new Fraction(2,4); // 2/4

Open questions

1. Would simplify() modify the current object or return a new, simplified fraction?

   a. Modify current object:

   $twoQuarters = new Fraction(2, 4);
   echo $twoQuarters; // 2/4
   $twoQuarters->simplfy();
   echo $twoQuarters; // 1/2

   b. Return new Fraction

   $twoQuarters = new Fraction(2, 4);
   echo $twoQuarters; // 2/4
   $oneHalf = $twoQuarters->simplfy();
   echo $twoQuarters; // 2/4
   echo $oneHalf; // 2/4

2. Should we just get rid of simplify() in the constructor completely?

   public function __construct($numerator, $denominator = 1)
   {
       // ...
       // $this->simplify();
   }

3. How should we cope with 1 3/4? Should we introduce a whole number part? This would allow us to distinguish between 7/4 and 1 3/4.

[jazzdan]

Would simplify() modify the current object or return a new, simplified fraction?

Hm, I would accept that simplifying automatically should be default. What if we just kept a reference internally to the originally entered fraction?

Otherwise I would be in favor of returning a new Fraction object since I'm a sucker for functional programming. :)

Should we just get rid of simplify() in the constructor completely?

I think that's probably the most straightforward way to implement this.

How should we cope with 1 3/4? Should we introduce a whole number part? This would allow us to distinguish between 7/4 and 1 3/4.

Yeah that's a good question. The dumbest solution is to just keep a reference to the originally referenced string, similarly to how I proposed handling the originally entered numerator and denominator but I don't think that's the best solution.

[tomhv]

Hey @jazzdan, sorry for the radio silence. Things pretty much shut down over the Christmas hols. Hope to get back onto this in the next few days.

[jazzdan]

No worries, same here. :)