Juan Lang wrote:
Changing these to single constant values would make it much harder for the casual observer to read.
That's what comments are for.
Actually, comments are for code that's not understandable without them. The code is more readable as it is, IMHO, than it would be by replacing the expression--perfectly natural in context--with its evaluation, or with a symbolic constant.
Actually, I'm with Austin on this one. A comment on the line that the code was in would be most helpful and would explain the use of the complex math formulae rather than having to guess at what is going on. That is why comments exist. To prevent guessing why certain code is why is the way it was written and for others (remember you can get run over by a bus, get hit by a car, get Swine Flu and be out for weeks) to not have to guess. I believe in overcommenting rather than under. BTW, that is what I was taught and is ITIL BBP.
James McKenzie