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Timing Variation in Dual Loop Benchmarks

• SEI Report
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This report disproves one of the major assumptions of dual loop benchmark testing by testing two bare computers with Ada test programs.
Publisher

Software Engineering Institute

CMU/SEI Report Number
CMU/SEI-87-TR-021

Abstract

Benchmarks that measure time values using a standard system clock often employ a dual loop design. One of the important assumptions of this design is that textually identical loop statements will take the same amount of time to execute. This assumption was tested on two bare computers with Ada test programs and has been demonstrated to be inaccurate in these specific test cases.

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Altman, N., & Weiderman, N. (1987, October 1). Timing Variation in Dual Loop Benchmarks. (SEI Report CMU/SEI-87-TR-021). Retrieved May 14, 2026, from https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/timing-variation-in-dual-loop-benchmarks/.

@techreport{altman_1987,
author={Altman, Neal and Weiderman, Nelson},
title={Timing Variation in Dual Loop Benchmarks},
month={{Oct},
year={{1987},
number={{CMU/SEI-87-TR-021},
howpublished={Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute's Digital Library},
url={https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/timing-variation-in-dual-loop-benchmarks/},
note={Accessed: 2026-May-14}
}

Altman, Neal, and Nelson Weiderman. "Timing Variation in Dual Loop Benchmarks." (CMU/SEI-87-TR-021). Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute's Digital Library. Software Engineering Institute, October 1, 1987. https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/timing-variation-in-dual-loop-benchmarks/.

N. Altman, and N. Weiderman, "Timing Variation in Dual Loop Benchmarks," Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute's Digital Library. Software Engineering Institute, SEI Report CMU/SEI-87-TR-021, 1-Oct-1987 [Online]. Available: https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/timing-variation-in-dual-loop-benchmarks/. [Accessed: 14-May-2026].

Altman, Neal, and Nelson Weiderman. "Timing Variation in Dual Loop Benchmarks." (SEI Report CMU/SEI-87-TR-021). Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute's Digital Library, Software Engineering Institute, 1 Oct. 1987. https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/timing-variation-in-dual-loop-benchmarks/. Accessed 14 May. 2026.

Altman, Neal; & Weiderman, Nelson. Timing Variation in Dual Loop Benchmarks. CMU/SEI-87-TR-021. Software Engineering Institute. 1987. https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/timing-variation-in-dual-loop-benchmarks/

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