real function epslon (x)
      real x
c
c     estimate unit roundoff in quantities of size x.
c
      real a,b,c,eps
c
c     this program should function properly on all systems
c     satisfying the following two assumptions,
c        1.  the base used in representing floating point
c            numbers is not a power of three.
c        2.  the quantity  a  in statement 10 is represented to
c            the accuracy used in floating point variables
c            that are stored in memory.
c     the statement number 10 and the go to 10 are intended to
c     force optimizing compilers to generate code satisfying
c     assumption 2.
c     under these assumptions, it should be true that,
c            a  is not exactly equal to four-thirds,
c            b  has a zero for its last bit or digit,
c            c  is not exactly equal to one,
c            eps  measures the separation of 1.0 from
c                 the next larger floating point number.
c     the developers of eispack would appreciate being informed
c     about any systems where these assumptions do not hold.
c
c     this version dated 4/6/83.
c
      a = 4.0e0/3.0e0
   10 b = a - 1.0e0
      c = b + b + b
      eps = abs(c-1.0e0)
      if (eps .eq. 0.0e0) go to 10
      epslon = eps*abs(x)
      return
      end