From: David Chelimsky <dchelimsky@...>
Date: 2007-01-27T06:12:31+09:00
Subject: Re: Counting Toothpicks (#111)

On 1/26/07, Tim Pease <tim.pease@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 1/26/07, Robert Dober <robert.dober@gmail.com> wrote:
> > On 1/26/07, CHubas <CHubas7@gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Jan 26, 7:46 am, Ruby Quiz <j...@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.
> > >
> > > Is there any specific rule to do group expressions? I mean, something
> > > like
> > > (( III x III ) + IIIII ) X III
> > > is valid?
> > >
> > > Thanks for the quiz.
> >
> >
> > Ah you spoiled my idea I will try yo have a solution allowing for
> > parenthesis, imagine a  toothpick bent  like < and >, so I would assume
> > <II+III>x<I+IIII> (which is stupid of course) being 20 toothpicks.
> > Actually I feel that it will be easier to do a solution allowing for
> > parenthesis, but we will see ;)
> >
>
> Last I checked it was very hard to bend toothpicks without breaking
> them. So your <parenthesis> would require two toothpicks apiece.
>
> <ll+lll>x<l+llll> = 25 (24 toothpicks)
>
> I think the same applies to the exponentiation operator ^ used in an
> earlier post.
>
> However, ou could Ruby syntax that one
>
> lllllxxll = 25 (11 toothpicks)
> lllll^ll = 25 (9 toothpicks)
>
> But that doesn't really save any toothpicks at all.
>
> James, can we omit toothpicks to represent zeros  ;-)
> l _ _ = 100 (1 toothpick)

Wouldn't the underscores be toothpicks turned sideways? I that *were*
allowed, it's certainly no less than 3 toothpicks.

Who would have thought that there would be so much depth to toothpick
philosophy?

>
>
> Blessings,
> TwP
>
>