Re:Ask HN: What's the hardest problem you've ever solved?
by bredren on Sunday November 18, 2018 @12:02AM
(#18478947)
I also wrote programs to run long equations on my calculator. This wasn't forbidden at the time because it was too early, I suppose. Regardless, you had to show your work to get credit anyway so they just functioned as a way to check my work instantly.
I had a lot of fun writing little programs to help out on long arduous problems though. I wish I had all my TI programs.
Re:Ask HN: What's the hardest problem you've ever solved?
by zzo38computer on Sunday November 18, 2018 @12:26AM
(#18478991)
Unless the exam allows notes, it can make sense to forbid using programs that are already stored and require to write the program during the time needed for the exam if you want to do that (even to program it to show the work if you want to add that into the program too; I think someone once did this), then it can be OK to allow it, I suppose.
Re:Ask HN: What's the hardest problem you've ever solved?
by yesbabyyes on Sunday November 18, 2018 @06:31AM
(#18479875)
I wrote a raster graphics editor for my Casio programmable graphing calculator. I also wrote it exclusively on the calculator. Did it to one-up my class mate, who had done one previously--mine had better features (no dot in the center of circles, could also do ellipses, had a spray function), and it was half the LOC.
Casio BASIC had subroutines in IIRC 36 registers ([A-Z0-9], conditional jumps and labels.
I wish I had that source code. I can't see how I would ever do something like it again.
I also had the seemingly good idea it would be nice to program the calculator, initially just writing algorithms like bubble-sort for CS that could be referred to, then extending to Statistics showing working for various statistical methods (the exam required steps showing working steps, learnt a little about data structures myself for that, then extending to matrix algebra and curvature). I also didn't go to most classes, only attending the ones that would be more useful than time in the library.
Typing character-by-character on a numerical keypad, getting a series of working systems. Was pretty fun.
And in the end, having working 'cheating systems'... I could do it faster in my head and never even took the calculator to the exam.
That's learning, I suppose. Did very well on the exams.