Built-in datatypes and C++ classes are introduced in this chapter, and discussed in relation to the important notion of encapsulation, which refers to the separation between the internal representation of the datatype and the operations to which it responds. Encapsulation later becomes an important consideration in the design of custom C++ classes that programmers develop themselves. It is illustrated with built-in floating-point datatypes float and double and with the complex class from the C++ standard library. While a sophisticated programmer is aware of the internal representation of data and its resulting limitations, encapsulation allows one to consider these as details and frees one to think at a higher level of program design. Some simple numerical examples are discussed in the text and in the exercises.
A Two-Stage Market Mechanism for Electricity with Renewable Generation
