title: Python arithmetic with small numbers
body: <p>I am getting the following unexpected result when I do arithmetic with small numbers in Python:</p>
  
  <pre><code>&gt;&gt;&gt; sys.float_info
  sys.float_info(max=1.7976931348623157e+308, max_exp=1024, max_10_exp=308, min=2.2250738585072014e-308, min_exp=-1021, min_10_exp=-307, dig=15, mant_dig=53, epsilon=2.220446049250313e-16, radix=2, rounds=1)
  &gt;&gt;&gt; (1. - (1.e-17) ) &lt; 1.
  False
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I know that floating point numbers do not have infinite precision, but it should be able to handle "large" small numbers like 1e-17, shouldn't it?</p>