Why is this note
"Note: You can assume that all the Roman numerals in the file contain no more than four consecutive identical units."
included in the problem statement? Why can't we have more than four consecutive identical units?
Problem 089
Forum rules
As your posts will be visible to the general public you are requested to be thoughtful in not posting anything that might explicitly give away how to solve a particular problem.
This forum is NOT meant to discuss solution methods for a problem.
See also the topics:
Don't post any spoilers
Comments, questions and clarifications about PE problems.
As your posts will be visible to the general public you are requested to be thoughtful in not posting anything that might explicitly give away how to solve a particular problem.
This forum is NOT meant to discuss solution methods for a problem.
In particular don't post any code fragments or results.
Don't start begging others to give partial answers to problems
Don't ask for hints how to solve a problem
Don't start a new topic for a problem if there already exists one
Don't start begging others to give partial answers to problems
Don't ask for hints how to solve a problem
Don't start a new topic for a problem if there already exists one
See also the topics:
Don't post any spoilers
Comments, questions and clarifications about PE problems.
-
kenbrooker
- Posts: 187
- Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2018 3:05 am
- Location: Northern California, USA
Re: Problem 089
Some "rules" for Roman Numerals even state -- A numeral can be repeated in succession up to three times only.
Allowing only four repetitions at least avoids the conflation "VIIIII" = Ten vs "X" = Ten...
Just some random thoughts...
Allowing only four repetitions at least avoids the conflation "VIIIII" = Ten vs "X" = Ten...
Just some random thoughts...
"Good Judgment comes from Experience;
Experience comes from Bad Judgment..."
Experience comes from Bad Judgment..."
-
Junglemath
- Posts: 72
- Joined: Fri Sep 20, 2019 1:25 pm
- Location: Minsk
Re: Problem 089
True. Although allowing more than 4 would prevent clever people from solving it by hand.kenbrooker wrote: Thu May 21, 2020 6:34 pm Some "rules" for Roman Numerals even state -- A numeral can be repeated in succession up to three times only.
Allowing only four repetitions at least avoids the conflation "VIIIII" = Ten vs "X" = Ten...
Just some random thoughts...
-
kenbrooker
- Posts: 187
- Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2018 3:05 am
- Location: Northern California, USA
Re: Problem 089
Is there something... Evil about cleverness that I am not aware of?
That needs to be "prevent"ed?!
Surely you jest?
That needs to be "prevent"ed?!
Surely you jest?
"Good Judgment comes from Experience;
Experience comes from Bad Judgment..."
Experience comes from Bad Judgment..."
-
Junglemath
- Posts: 72
- Joined: Fri Sep 20, 2019 1:25 pm
- Location: Minsk
Re: Problem 089
Nothing wrong with cleverness, but I do think that one of the qualifications for a problem to make it to PE is that it should be a true combination of math and programming, so a problem shouldn't be solvable without a computer doing at least some computation.kenbrooker wrote: Thu May 21, 2020 11:05 pm Is there something... Evil about cleverness that I am not aware of?
That needs to be "prevent"ed?!
Surely you jest?
-
kenbrooker
- Posts: 187
- Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2018 3:05 am
- Location: Northern California, USA
Re: Problem 089
I guess that's the strict interpretation of--
A website dedicated to the puzzling WORLDS of mathematics and programming
would be a Superset, welcoming hand solutions,
I guess...
Clever hand-solutions no doubt include mathematics or pure logic but, not programming...A website dedicated to the puzzling world of mathematics AND programming
A website dedicated to the puzzling WORLDS of mathematics and programming
would be a Superset, welcoming hand solutions,
I guess...
"Good Judgment comes from Experience;
Experience comes from Bad Judgment..."
Experience comes from Bad Judgment..."
-
pjt33
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 6:14 pm
Re: Problem 089
The compromise position is to include the traditional meaning of the word "computer", which would include Euler himself. This Roman numerals problem requires processing a text file, and is worth automating, but there's a later Roman numerals problem which can be solved on one sheet of A4 or US Letter paper if you're tidy.Junglemath wrote: Fri May 22, 2020 12:31 am Nothing wrong with cleverness, but I do think that one of the qualifications for a problem to make it to PE is that it should be a true combination of math and programming, so a problem shouldn't be solvable without a computer doing at least some computation.
-
kenbrooker
- Posts: 187
- Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2018 3:05 am
- Location: Northern California, USA
Re: Problem 089
And if Euler was married, I guess he was subordinated to "programming"... 
"Good Judgment comes from Experience;
Experience comes from Bad Judgment..."
Experience comes from Bad Judgment..."