Aaah, the beauty, the elegance...

[Manku Thimma]

... of a recursive solution!
Solve for a₁ to a_n, given b₁ to b_n, and c₁ to c_n:
a_nb₁ = c₁
a_n-1b₁ + a_nb₂ = c₂
a_n-2b₁ + a_n-1b₂ + a_nb₃ = c₃
:
:
a₁b₁ + a₂b₂ + a₃b₃ + ... + a_nb_n = c_n

[This message has been edited by Manku Thimma (edited July 21, 2001).]

[Paul Ralph]

Do we get any more information?
As it is...
3 variables, 1 equation then...
5 variables, 2 equations
7 variables, 3 equations...and so forth.
Don't we need to know how the b variables relate to each other or how the b variables relate to the c variables?
Or something like that?
Paul R

[Andy Ceponis]

The answer is:
8

[Andy Ceponis]

or was it -4958390.328947234121?

[Jim Yingst]

I believe the canonical answer to this is:
42

[Manku Thimma]

Where are all these numbers popping up from?
You are given three arrays a, b, and c, with n elements each. Using the above set of equations, write a recursive function to fill in the elements 1 to n of array a, given the values in elements 1 to n in arrays b and c.
So, using the equations, a_n = c₁/b₁. And now, using a_n, we get a_n-1 = (c₂ - a_nb₂) / b₁. And so on... to get a₁. Enjoy!

[This message has been edited by Manku Thimma (edited July 23, 2001).]

[Anonymous]

Do you guys have life? For god's sakes, why are you posting recursive functions on the net? Go out and do something social for crying out loud.

[Greg Harris]

what are you doing here? why are you worried about our tension breakers? do you not have anything better to do?
sorry, i just needed to vent my frustration.

[Jim Yingst]

> Do you guys have life?
Sorry Ronnie - not everyone has such sophisticated forms of entertainment as you enjoy.

[Greg Harris]

busted!
did you notice that your ip is showing "onlooker"... i think jim just exposed you.

[Ronnie Johnson]

Woah, guys, chill out, I did not post this, some girl named Neha at a camp i was just at saw me on the forum, and posted it, not I I happen to like mathematical puzzels, as for the Greg, you just look like a moron now, "Oh no!, They exposed me now!" I bet if you look at my IP now, you can find some more cool stuff on me, say for instance IT IS NOT THE SAME ONE. Greg, get a brain.

[This message has been edited by Ronnie Johnson (edited July 31, 2001).]

[Greg Harris]

sorry, ronnie, i guess i need to go see the wizard and ask to have my brain back... follow the yellow brick road, follow the yellow brick road, follow, follow, follow, follow, follow the yellow brick road... we're off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of oz!
(sorry, i removed the pic of the scarecrow)...
[This message has been edited by Greg Harris (edited August 14, 2001).]

[Ronnie Johnson]

hehe