% Find the decimal equivalent to the floating-point 
% machine numbers
% 0 01111111111 0101001100...0001 (double)
%               (     52-bit    )

exponent = (2^10-1)-1023;

x = vpa('1+2^(-2)+2^(-4)+2^(-7)+2^(-8)+2^(-52)',55)*2^exponent
% x = vpa('1+2^(-2)+2^(-4)+2^(-7)+2^(-8)+2^(-52)',58)*2^exponent
% x = vpa('1+2^(-2)+2^(-4)+2^(-7)+2^(-8)+2^(-52)',60)*2^exponent