Steve's Programming Challenge: Weights and Measures

[SMcNeill]

And, since it's not right to issue a challenge without also filling it, I'd like to share this solution, which highlights the problem perfectly:

Code: (Select All)

Color 15

_Define A-Z As _FLOAT

Dim TargetWeight(1 To 4), TargetWeight$(1 To 4), I, CompareWeight, Fraction

TargetWeight(1) = 3: TargetWeight$(1) = "3"

TargetWeight(2) = 3 / 8: TargetWeight$(2) = "3 / 8"

TargetWeight(3) = 11 / 32: TargetWeight$(3) = "11 / 32"

TargetWeight(4) = 1 / 10: TargetWeight$(4) = "1 / 10"







For I = 1 To 4

    CompareWeight = 4: Fraction = 1

    Print TargetWeight$(I); " =";

    Do

        If CompareWeight < 1 Then Fraction = Fraction * 2

        If CompareWeight <= TargetWeight(I) Then

            TargetWeight(I) = TargetWeight(I) - CompareWeight

            If Fraction <= 1 Then

                Print "  + "; CompareWeight;

            Else

                Print " + ( 1 /"; Fraction; ")";

            End If

        End If

        CompareWeight = CompareWeight / 2

    Loop Until TargetWeight(I) = 0 Or CompareWeight < 0.0000000000001##

    If TargetWeight(I) > 0 Then

        Color 4

        Print ; " + "; TargetWeight(I); "OFF"

    End If

    Color 15

    Print: Print

Next

Note that I've deliberately set this up to go to a much lower level of precision than just the 1/256 weights which I asked for with the first post. This is to show that even if we keep going deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole, some rabbits just aren't at home to catch to begin with!!