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Using an unsigned variable in a computer program can lead to unexpected errors which we call overflow errors.

This where if we subtract one from the variable when it is 0 it becomes an unexpectedly large number like 4294967295.

This is a /wiki/spaces/IX/pages/2053242952which is relatively harmless although alarming looking.

But it’s also the same problem that caused the French Ariane rocket to explode (a $500 million dollar disaster - see https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20150505-the-numbers-that-lead-to-disaster).

Google around and you’ll find all sorts of expensive problems that arise from this issue.

How does it happen? Read about how computers handle subtraction.

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