FAILURE MAP
← Case archive

FA-15001 / Numerics / Open access

Best bounded rational: two nearest numerator candidates · case 01

The exact best bounded rational result violates the stated contract at two nearest numerator candidates.

Verified by executionVariant 1 · 8 checks per implementationDownload source bundle ↓JSON ↗

ROOT CAUSE

The two nearest numerator candidates step uses (a,) instead of (a,a+1).

VERIFIED REPAIR

Use (a,a+1) at the two nearest numerator candidates step.

Unsuccessful approach: The partial repair (a-1,a) still violates the two nearest numerator candidates invariant.

Case contract

Input [p,q,B], q>0 B>0; nearest rational to p/q with denominator<=B, ties choose smaller rational then denominator.

Why this case matters

Exact discrete arithmetic with observable algorithmic state; no floating point approximation is used.

1 / The failure

Exit 1
"""Failure Map reference implementation. Python standard library only."""
import json
import math
import itertools
from fractions import Fraction
N = 1
observations = []
def solve(x):
    p,q,B=x;target=Fraction(p,q);candidates=[]
    for d in range(1,B+1):
     a=(p*d)//q
     for n in (a,):
      r=Fraction(n,d)
      candidates.append((abs(r-target),r,d))
    if not candidates:return None
    best=min(candidates)
    r=best[1]
    return [r.numerator,r.denominator]
def check(label, actual, expected):
    observations.append({"check": label, "actual": actual, "expected": expected, "passed": actual == expected})
fixtures = [[([-12, 5, 1], [-2, 1]), ([-12, 1, 1], [-12, 1]), ([12, 11, 7], [8, 7]), ([-12, 1, 2], [-12, 1]), ([-12, 1, 3], [-12, 1]), ([-12, 1, 4], [-12, 1]), ([-12, 1, 5], [-12, 1]), ([-12, 1, 6], [-12, 1])], [([-12, 5, 3], [-7, 3]), ([-12, 7, 2], [-3, 2]), ([-12, 1, 1], [-12, 1]), ([12, 11, 7], [8, 7]), ([-12, 3, 4], [-4, 1]), ([-12, 3, 5], [-4, 1]), ([-12, 3, 6], [-4, 1]), ([-12, 3, 7], [-4, 1])], [([-12, 5, 4], [-7, 3]), ([-12, 10, 1], [-1, 1]), ([-12, 1, 1], [-12, 1]), ([12, 11, 7], [8, 7]), ([-12, 5, 7], [-12, 5]), ([-12, 6, 1], [-2, 1]), ([-12, 6, 2], [-2, 1]), ([-12, 6, 3], [-2, 1])], [([-12, 7, 2], [-3, 2]), ([-12, 11, 2], [-1, 1]), ([-12, 1, 1], [-12, 1]), ([12, 11, 7], [8, 7]), ([-12, 8, 3], [-3, 2]), ([-12, 8, 4], [-3, 2]), ([-12, 8, 5], [-3, 2]), ([-12, 8, 6], [-3, 2])], [([-12, 7, 3], [-5, 3]), ([-12, 11, 5], [-1, 1]), ([-12, 1, 1], [-12, 1]), ([12, 11, 7], [8, 7]), ([-12, 10, 6], [-6, 5]), ([-12, 10, 7], [-6, 5]), ([-12, 11, 1], [-1, 1]), ([-12, 11, 2], [-1, 1])]]
for i, (args, expected) in enumerate(fixtures[N-1]):
    check("explicit oracle %d" % i, solve(args), expected)
print(json.dumps({"observations": observations, "passed": all(x["passed"] for x in observations)}, ensure_ascii=False))
raise SystemExit(0 if all(x["passed"] for x in observations) else 1)
Boundary fixtureActualExpectedOutcome
explicit oracle 0[-3, 1][-2, 1]Failed
explicit oracle 1[-12, 1][-12, 1]Passed
explicit oracle 2[1, 1][8, 7]Failed
explicit oracle 3[-12, 1][-12, 1]Passed
explicit oracle 4[-12, 1][-12, 1]Passed
explicit oracle 5[-12, 1][-12, 1]Passed
explicit oracle 6[-12, 1][-12, 1]Passed
explicit oracle 7[-12, 1][-12, 1]Passed

SHA-256 / 0a739db37a315a9f9887a77efddcbc5028c8fa169ce9a6ef4dcbf09cf467dc23

2 / The unsuccessful fix

Exit 1
"""Failure Map reference implementation. Python standard library only."""
import json
import math
import itertools
from fractions import Fraction
N = 1
observations = []
def solve(x):
    p,q,B=x;target=Fraction(p,q);candidates=[]
    for d in range(1,B+1):
     a=(p*d)//q
     for n in (a-1,a):
      r=Fraction(n,d)
      candidates.append((abs(r-target),r,d))
    if not candidates:return None
    best=min(candidates)
    r=best[1]
    return [r.numerator,r.denominator]
def check(label, actual, expected):
    observations.append({"check": label, "actual": actual, "expected": expected, "passed": actual == expected})
fixtures = [[([-12, 5, 1], [-2, 1]), ([-12, 1, 1], [-12, 1]), ([12, 11, 7], [8, 7]), ([-12, 1, 2], [-12, 1]), ([-12, 1, 3], [-12, 1]), ([-12, 1, 4], [-12, 1]), ([-12, 1, 5], [-12, 1]), ([-12, 1, 6], [-12, 1])], [([-12, 5, 3], [-7, 3]), ([-12, 7, 2], [-3, 2]), ([-12, 1, 1], [-12, 1]), ([12, 11, 7], [8, 7]), ([-12, 3, 4], [-4, 1]), ([-12, 3, 5], [-4, 1]), ([-12, 3, 6], [-4, 1]), ([-12, 3, 7], [-4, 1])], [([-12, 5, 4], [-7, 3]), ([-12, 10, 1], [-1, 1]), ([-12, 1, 1], [-12, 1]), ([12, 11, 7], [8, 7]), ([-12, 5, 7], [-12, 5]), ([-12, 6, 1], [-2, 1]), ([-12, 6, 2], [-2, 1]), ([-12, 6, 3], [-2, 1])], [([-12, 7, 2], [-3, 2]), ([-12, 11, 2], [-1, 1]), ([-12, 1, 1], [-12, 1]), ([12, 11, 7], [8, 7]), ([-12, 8, 3], [-3, 2]), ([-12, 8, 4], [-3, 2]), ([-12, 8, 5], [-3, 2]), ([-12, 8, 6], [-3, 2])], [([-12, 7, 3], [-5, 3]), ([-12, 11, 5], [-1, 1]), ([-12, 1, 1], [-12, 1]), ([12, 11, 7], [8, 7]), ([-12, 10, 6], [-6, 5]), ([-12, 10, 7], [-6, 5]), ([-12, 11, 1], [-1, 1]), ([-12, 11, 2], [-1, 1])]]
for i, (args, expected) in enumerate(fixtures[N-1]):
    check("explicit oracle %d" % i, solve(args), expected)
print(json.dumps({"observations": observations, "passed": all(x["passed"] for x in observations)}, ensure_ascii=False))
raise SystemExit(0 if all(x["passed"] for x in observations) else 1)
Boundary fixtureActualExpectedOutcome
explicit oracle 0[-3, 1][-2, 1]Failed
explicit oracle 1[-12, 1][-12, 1]Passed
explicit oracle 2[1, 1][8, 7]Failed
explicit oracle 3[-12, 1][-12, 1]Passed
explicit oracle 4[-12, 1][-12, 1]Passed
explicit oracle 5[-12, 1][-12, 1]Passed
explicit oracle 6[-12, 1][-12, 1]Passed
explicit oracle 7[-12, 1][-12, 1]Passed

SHA-256 / 793f4f634d5495b8e5f31236514a37badc936e5c469f8fdc21aa0304ee8eeb21

3 / The verified repair

Exit 0
"""Failure Map reference implementation. Python standard library only."""
import json
import math
import itertools
from fractions import Fraction
N = 1
observations = []
def solve(x):
    p,q,B=x;target=Fraction(p,q);candidates=[]
    for d in range(1,B+1):
     a=(p*d)//q
     for n in (a,a+1):
      r=Fraction(n,d)
      candidates.append((abs(r-target),r,d))
    if not candidates:return None
    best=min(candidates)
    r=best[1]
    return [r.numerator,r.denominator]
def check(label, actual, expected):
    observations.append({"check": label, "actual": actual, "expected": expected, "passed": actual == expected})
fixtures = [[([-12, 5, 1], [-2, 1]), ([-12, 1, 1], [-12, 1]), ([12, 11, 7], [8, 7]), ([-12, 1, 2], [-12, 1]), ([-12, 1, 3], [-12, 1]), ([-12, 1, 4], [-12, 1]), ([-12, 1, 5], [-12, 1]), ([-12, 1, 6], [-12, 1])], [([-12, 5, 3], [-7, 3]), ([-12, 7, 2], [-3, 2]), ([-12, 1, 1], [-12, 1]), ([12, 11, 7], [8, 7]), ([-12, 3, 4], [-4, 1]), ([-12, 3, 5], [-4, 1]), ([-12, 3, 6], [-4, 1]), ([-12, 3, 7], [-4, 1])], [([-12, 5, 4], [-7, 3]), ([-12, 10, 1], [-1, 1]), ([-12, 1, 1], [-12, 1]), ([12, 11, 7], [8, 7]), ([-12, 5, 7], [-12, 5]), ([-12, 6, 1], [-2, 1]), ([-12, 6, 2], [-2, 1]), ([-12, 6, 3], [-2, 1])], [([-12, 7, 2], [-3, 2]), ([-12, 11, 2], [-1, 1]), ([-12, 1, 1], [-12, 1]), ([12, 11, 7], [8, 7]), ([-12, 8, 3], [-3, 2]), ([-12, 8, 4], [-3, 2]), ([-12, 8, 5], [-3, 2]), ([-12, 8, 6], [-3, 2])], [([-12, 7, 3], [-5, 3]), ([-12, 11, 5], [-1, 1]), ([-12, 1, 1], [-12, 1]), ([12, 11, 7], [8, 7]), ([-12, 10, 6], [-6, 5]), ([-12, 10, 7], [-6, 5]), ([-12, 11, 1], [-1, 1]), ([-12, 11, 2], [-1, 1])]]
for i, (args, expected) in enumerate(fixtures[N-1]):
    check("explicit oracle %d" % i, solve(args), expected)
print(json.dumps({"observations": observations, "passed": all(x["passed"] for x in observations)}, ensure_ascii=False))
raise SystemExit(0 if all(x["passed"] for x in observations) else 1)
Boundary fixtureActualExpectedOutcome
explicit oracle 0[-2, 1][-2, 1]Passed
explicit oracle 1[-12, 1][-12, 1]Passed
explicit oracle 2[8, 7][8, 7]Passed
explicit oracle 3[-12, 1][-12, 1]Passed
explicit oracle 4[-12, 1][-12, 1]Passed
explicit oracle 5[-12, 1][-12, 1]Passed
explicit oracle 6[-12, 1][-12, 1]Passed
explicit oracle 7[-12, 1][-12, 1]Passed

SHA-256 / e3233f405bbc9096d5193fa048bf2ac0ccb02e69ef536a95587d4e55665cff53

Verification & scope

A deterministic bounded teaching model. Inputs are restricted to the explicit contract; this is not a production algebra library. This reproducer isolates one failure mechanism. Results cover the supplied fixtures. Variants within a family share a test contract and should remain grouped when constructing evaluation splits. Related mechanisms with a shared evaluation_group must also remain together; these controlled models are not independent production incidents.

Observations recorded using Python 3.12.14 at 2026-09-29T14:39:22.507819+00:00.

Case digest / 6e77c53940f2109e066b61cc2391fc4ce4755e7380f121364983ae932f4e49e5