The Countdown numbers game…
closed account (z05DSL3A)
•The game starts with choosing six tiles from a set of twenty-four that are shuffled and face down.
•The twenty-four tiles are arranged in to groups: large numbers and small numbers
•The set of large number comprises of four tiles with the numbers 25, 50, 75, 100
•The set of small numbers comprises of twenty tiles with two each of the numbers 1 to 10.
•When the six numbers are selected and revealed a target number is randomly generated in the range of 101 to 999
•The player has thirty seconds to use the six numbers to calculate the target number or get as close as possible. Scoring 10 points for an exact solution, 7 points if within 5 of the target and 5 if within 10 of the target.
Rules for the calculation:
•You can only use each number once but do not have to use all the numbers.
•You can only use the four basic arithmetic operations and at no stage in the calculation can the running total become negative or involve fractions.
The player chooses 1 large number and 5 small numbers and is ‘dealt’ {50, 8, 3, 7, 2, 10}
The target is then generated and given as 556
The player thinks for a bit and enters (((50 - 7) * 3) + 10) * 8 / 2 and scores 10 points
So, what can you do with this? You could write a program to allow the user to play the game. Selecting the tiles, generating the target, then getting the user to type in the calculation, parsing the input and checking the result and giving a score.
You could also write a program that solves a given set of numbers…or do both
•The twenty-four tiles are arranged in to groups: large numbers and small numbers
•The set of large number comprises of four tiles with the numbers 25, 50, 75, 100
•The set of small numbers comprises of twenty tiles with two each of the numbers 1 to 10.
•When the six numbers are selected and revealed a target number is randomly generated in the range of 101 to 999
•The player has thirty seconds to use the six numbers to calculate the target number or get as close as possible. Scoring 10 points for an exact solution, 7 points if within 5 of the target and 5 if within 10 of the target.
Rules for the calculation:
•You can only use each number once but do not have to use all the numbers.
•You can only use the four basic arithmetic operations and at no stage in the calculation can the running total become negative or involve fractions.
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Example:The player chooses 1 large number and 5 small numbers and is ‘dealt’ {50, 8, 3, 7, 2, 10}
The target is then generated and given as 556
The player thinks for a bit and enters (((50 - 7) * 3) + 10) * 8 / 2 and scores 10 points
-----===##===-----
So, what can you do with this? You could write a program to allow the user to play the game. Selecting the tiles, generating the target, then getting the user to type in the calculation, parsing the input and checking the result and giving a score.
You could also write a program that solves a given set of numbers…or do both
Last edited on
This is a lot like that British show which has the same exact idea and whose name I forgot. I remember wanting to make a program resembling it too!
Unfortunately for me.. I suck at calculations. But I really think this would help people get better at math.
So maybe we can also frame different levels of difficulties as well.
By the way about having the computer solve it, does anybody happen to know if somebody has posted code for it somewhere?
Edit: ah countdown is the name of that show. And I'm in love with Rachel Riley
Unfortunately for me.. I suck at calculations. But I really think this would help people get better at math.
So maybe we can also frame different levels of difficulties as well.
By the way about having the computer solve it, does anybody happen to know if somebody has posted code for it somewhere?
Edit: ah countdown is the name of that show. And I'm in love with Rachel Riley
Last edited on
closed account (z05DSL3A)
Satan, I was actually watching 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown when I started thinking about how I would go about writing a solver for it. So I thought I would throw the rules (as best I understand them) up here so others could have at it if it piqued their interest.
For those scratching their head at what this is...
A clip of an 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown numbers round...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfhY0qod_eM
and some normal Countdown numbers rounds...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjCbWg4ZUAY
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For those scratching their head at what this is...
A clip of an 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown numbers round...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfhY0qod_eM
and some normal Countdown numbers rounds...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjCbWg4ZUAY
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Does anybody know how to write the solver by the way? I know there were discussions on the same idea of a solver before, I think the person who wrote that post had it as an assignment.
https://incoherency.co.uk/countdown/
https://github.com/jes/cntdn/
It's in JS though, but close enough to figure out techniques etc,
https://github.com/jes/cntdn/
It's in JS though, but close enough to figure out techniques etc,
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