Javascript IRR (Internal rate of return) Formula Accuracy

Question

I'm using a IRR function in javascript to create calculation a that is done in excel using its own IRR function. The problem is mine is little off and I have no idea why. Here's the code below.

var IRRval = [];

IRRval.push(-financed);
for (i = 0; i < period; i++) {
    IRRval.push(rental);
}

var IRR = IRRCalc(IRRval, 0.001) * 0.01;

function IRRCalc(CArray, guest) {
    inc = 0.000001;
    do {
        guest += inc;
        NPV = 0;
        for (var j=0; j < CArray.length; j++) {
            NPV += CArray[j] / Math.pow((1 + guest), j);
        }
    } while (NPV > 0);
    return guest * 100;
}

Now if you use these figures:

---

Period 24

Financed 22000

Rental 1017.5000

My Result is: 0.008523000000000175

Excel Result is: 0.008522918

---

OR

---

Period 42

Financed 218000

Rental 5917.1429

My Result is: 0.006247000000000489

Excel Result is: 0.00624616

---

The Excel function is called: =IRR(T12:T73,0.01) T12-T73 is the same figures I'm using.

Any help would be much appreciated, Thanks Jason

UPDATE

I've solved it by changing the values below. But now the performance is too slow. Any ideas on how to improve this?

IRRCalc(IRRval, 0.001)

//to

IRRCalc(IRRval, 0.0001)

inc = 0.000001;

//to

inc = 0.00000001;

Answer 1

We modified the code to achieve performance and accuracy. Try this:

function IRRCalc(CArray) {

  min = 0.0;
  max = 1.0;
  do {
    guest = (min + max) / 2;
    NPV = 0;
    for (var j=0; j<CArray.length; j++) {
          NPV += CArray[j]/Math.pow((1+guest),j);
    }
    if (NPV > 0) {
      min = guest;
    }
    else {
      max = guest;
    }
  } while(Math.abs(NPV) > 0.000001);
  return guest * 100;
}

Answer 2

After a quick skim read through your code, the error seems to be related to floating point precision error. More information can be found here: http://ajaxian.com/archives/crock-on-floating-points-in-javascript

In older javascript engines, if you did 0.3 + 0.3 you get something like 0.600000000001

Though most javascript engines today return 0.6, under the hood, the problem remains. Adding floats together causes unexpected results. So in your case the

inc = 0.000001;
guest += inc;

seems to me, to be the problem.

A way to solve this would be to use whole numbers. So instead of 0.000001 you would use 1 and instead of 0.001 you would use 1000. Then divide your return result by 100000