Seikang's blog

Problem A. Codeforces Beta Round 81
By Seikang, 13 years ago, In English

Hello:


Is the mastering in details the best way of assess a good programmer? Perhaps, but not at least in algorithm programming. 

It's awful and cruel that some precision error of C or C++ led us to WA:
9400 * 0.99 = 9306
C, C++: (int)(9400 * 0.99) = 9305 Perhaps in other languages too.

High experienced programmers eventually know about this kind of bit manipulation of doubles in C & C++, but even the exact power of ten could be unknown:

LayCurse used 1e-13. Wrong Answer

In my personal opinion, I started programming one year and a half ago, and being two hours in this stressful situation it's disappointing for lovers of CS.

To contestants, enjoy this TopCoder Tutorials:

To problem setters:
Giving more data sets doesn't make a problem less difficult, just help to the problem solver to be focus and don't give wrong approaches, even allow to fix redaction or translation issues. 

Congratulations to all the CodeForces community. High rating to all of us :D
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13 years ago, # |
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Contest problems are usually not purely algorithmic problems. Besides knowledge of algorithms and data structures, they require reading, formalizing, coding, testing, etc. Sometimes a bit of maths, language or platform specifics are also involved. Why not? I think it is a good thing.
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  • 13 years ago, # ^ |
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    You are right, but this is a language issue. I love math too. That's why this kind of things can be solved with some additional data set.
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13 years ago, # |
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Yes, I think a good thing would be to have added one of these precision cases in the examples...(but then maybe it would be too easy?) It is a tough decision..
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  • 13 years ago, # ^ |
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    Like my first statement, problem will continue with same difficult, it would be given the same approach, just a small correctional sentence would be added.
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  • 13 years ago, # ^ |
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    Hacks are a part of the current rules. Adding everything important to pretests would reduce the value of their existence.
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    • 13 years ago, # ^ |
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      You are right again, if we talk about rules. That's when we enter in style or preferences, perhaps it's better to hack after the contest, that's my opinion. But, in any case, it's the same possibilities for everybody, and hacks it's not the core of algorithm programming contests, it's just for fun ;D.
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