Creating infinite series

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PenguinArse
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2008 3:32 pm UTC

Creating infinite series

So new to coding, in my php programming class and we are told to pretty much create an infinite series. The whole:
1 = 1,
1 − 2 = −1,
1 − 2 + 3 = 2,
1 − 2 + 3 − 4 = −2,
1 − 2 + 3 − 4 + 5 = 3,
1 − 2 + 3 − 4 + 5 − 6 = −3
and so on...

up until the answer is 10, and down to -10

No idea, i don't want the exact code, of course. But maybe a bit of help in getting started?

Xanthir
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Re: Creating infinite series

What *exactly* do you need to do? If you need to print each step of the series, or just the answers, or just put it in a data structure and manipulate it, the answers are a bit different.
(defun fibs (n &optional (a 1) (b 1)) (take n (unfold '+ a b)))

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Re: Creating infinite series

You can generate any particular element in a list by using a for loop. You can make it increment by two instead of one, and then the difficulty is on the same level as "print the numbers one through ten".
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chibu
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2008 4:38 pm UTC

Re: Creating infinite series

Well yeah, you could easily fake it with something like:

Code: Select all

(Pseudocode):For all values between 1 and 10:     Print value     Print "-" + value

That is Print the numbers from 1 to ten and after each one print that number with a negative sign before it

However, that's probably not what you're supposed to do. But, as posted, you will probably want to use a loop. searching "for loop PHP" on google should get you info on how to use them (or your textbook could help )

To determine, in your code, whether or not you're adding or subtracting, you could do a couple of different things. either something like: always adding and multiplying by -1 every time. or if (i % 2) == 0 then subtract instead of adding. or adding pow(-1,i+1) * i each time. In each of these cases, i is the value incremented by the for loop, or whatever.

Well, I hope this is enough to get you started. Good luck, and let us know if you still need some help.

~ Chibu

Guff
Posts: 165
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2008 11:56 pm UTC

Re: Creating infinite series

Uh, I have no idea what the actual question is, but because I'm bored, here's a "shortcut" formula: [imath]-(-1)^n (\frac {n+\frac {1}{2}(1-(-1)^n)}{2})[/imath]

sakeniwefu
Posts: 170
Joined: Sun May 11, 2008 8:36 pm UTC

Re: Creating infinite series

Code: Select all

n=((i&1)?1:-1)*(((i+1)>>1)); /* for i from 1 to 20, both included */

Yet another stupid way to get it. I am pretty sure they are asking you to use recursive functions, even if it is going to take ages for high values of i. Else, the best algorithm is the one by chibu.
EDIT:Also:
Spoiler:

Code: Select all

                printf("1"); /* in your previous loop */                for(j=2;j<=i;j++){                        printf((j&1)?"+%d":"-%d",j);                }                printf("=%d\n",n);