From: Robert Dober <robert.dober@...>
Date: 2007-01-26T23:56:43+09:00
Subject: Re: [QUIZ] Counting Toothpicks (#111)

------=_Part_45662_28359833.1169823400669
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Disposition: inline

On 1/26/07, Ruby Quiz <james@grayproductions.net> wrote:
>
> The three rules of Ruby Quiz:
>
> 1.  Please do not post any solutions or spoiler discussion for this quiz
> until
> 48 hours have passed from the time on this message.
>
> 2.  Support Ruby Quiz by submitting ideas as often as you can:
>
> http://www.rubyquiz.com/
>
> 3.  Enjoy!
>
> Suggestion:  A [QUIZ] in the subject of emails about the problem helps
> everyone
> on Ruby Talk follow the discussion.  Please reply to the original quiz
> message,
> if you can.
>
>
> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>
> This quiz was adapted from an ACM programming challenge at the suggestion
> of
> Gavin Kistner.
>
> Simple math can be done with toothpicks alone.  Positive integers are just
> a
> count of toothpicks so three becomes |||.  We can use two toothpicks
> together to
> build a plus sign (+) or even tilt those slightly to get a multiplication
> operator (x).  Putting all of that together, the expression ||x||||+| is
> another
> way to express the number nine.
>
> This weeks quiz is to write a program that takes a single command-line
> argument
> which will be a positive integer.  Your code should build a toothpick
> expression
> to calculate the number using as few toothpicks as possible.  For example:
>
>         $ruby toothpick.rb 9
>         |||x||| = 9 (8 toothpicks)
>
> Don't forget to count those operators!
>
> Posting toothpick expressions and/or counts for a given number is not
> spoiler
> material.
>
>
This sounds like a great Quiz, worthy to celebrate the number 111 or should
I say III ;).

Robert

-- 
"The best way to predict the future is to invent it."
- Alan Kay

------=_Part_45662_28359833.1169823400669--