* @param y
     * @return the larger (closer to negative infinity) of either x or y1
     */
    public static BigDecimal min(
            BigDecimal x,
            BigDecimal y) {
        if (x.compareTo(y) == -1) {
            return new BigDecimal(x.toString());
        } else {
            return new BigDecimal(y.toString());
        }
    }