Lec17 18

ESc101 : Fundamental of Computing
I Semester 2008-09
Lecture 17+18
• Structured programming using methods

• Common Steps in Solving a problem
1
Syntax of a method
return type method name(input)

{
Body
}
if there is no input parameter, we leave the parenthesis blank.
2
Methods offer a structured (top-down) way of writing the programs
• To solve a problem, divide it into smaller subproblem.
• Divide each smaller sub-problem into further smaller sub-sub-problems until

they become easy to solve (code should be 10-20 lines).
• finally for each problem, sub-problems,sub-sub-problems, write a separate

method.
3
Advantages of structured programming
• It is an easier way to design solution of the problem.

• It is easy to code since each method will be a small piece of code.
• The program becomes more manageable.
• It reduces the chances of logical errors.
4
Two Examples of Structured Programming
• Printing a Diamond with a given half-width
• Computing the Maximum value permutation for an integer
5
P : Computing Max Perm for an integer
P : MaxPerm(n)
6
P : MaxPerm(n)
Q: Perm_with_Largest_Digit_at_MSI(n)
7
P : MaxPerm(n)
Num_of_Digits(m) Power_of_Ten(i) Max_Digit_Index(n,digits) Value_of_Digit_at_Index(n,index)
8
P : MaxPerm(n)
9
The method Num of digits(int n)
// function for computing number of digits in n
public static int Num_of_Digits(int n)
{
int digits = 0;
while(n>0)
{
digits = digits + 1;
n = n/10;
}
return digits;
}
10
The method Power of Ten(int i)
// function for computing 10ˆi.
public static int Power_of_Ten(int i)
{
int power = 1;
while(i>0)
{
power = power*10;
i = i-1;
}
return power;
}
11
The method for Max Digit
public static int Max\_Digit\_Index(int n, int digits)
{ int max_digit = n%10;
int max_digit_index=1;
n = n/10;
for(int i=2; i<=digits; i = i+1)
{
int current_digit = n%10;
if(current_digit>max_digit)
{
max_digit = current_digit;
max_digit_index = i;
}
n = n/10;
}
}
12
The method : Value of Digit of n at Index()
// function for computing the digit of n at ’index’
public static int Value_of_Digit_of_n_at_Index(int n, int index)
{
int power = Power_of_Ten(index-1);
n = n/power;
return(n%10);
}
13
The method : Permutation with Max Digit at MSI
public static int Permutation_with_Max_Digit_at_MSI(int n, int digits)
{
int power = Power_of_Ten(digits-1);
int digit_at_MSI = n/power;
int max_digit_index = Max_Digit_Index(n,digits);
int value_of_max_digit = Value_of_Digit_of_n_at_Index(n,max_digit_index);
int new_n=n;
if(max_digit_index != digits)
{
int difference_of_digits = value_of_max_digit - digit_at_MSI;
int lower_power = Power_of_Ten(max_digit_index-1);
new_n = n + (power-lower_power)*difference_of_digits;
}
return new_n;
}
14
The method Max Perm(int n)
public static int Max_Perm(int n)
{ int upper_n;
int lower_n;
int digits = Num_of_Digits(n);
int power= Power_of_Ten(digits);
for(int i = digits; i>1; i =i-1)
{ upper_n= n/power;
lower_n= n%power;
lower_n= Permutation_with_Max_Digit_at_MSI(lower_n,i);
n = upper_n*power+ lower_n;
power = power/10;
}
return n;
}
15
P : MaxPerm(n)
16
II : Common Steps in Problem Solving
1. Understanding the problem statement carefully
2. Working on simple examples
3. Working on related problems which are easier
4. Develop insight into the problem using steps 2 and 3
5. Solving the problem
17
An interesting example : Clever Prisoner problem
There are n prisoners in Jail.

Each prisoner is allocated fixed place in a line right in the beginning. Each day the
following event happens. The warden of the jail is a tyrant.Each day the warden
asks all the prisoners to line in front him and mth (Here m>m) person is
executed. This continues till there is only one prisoner left. The last one remaining
is pardoned and set free. Now we have a clever prisoner among n prisoners. He
selects the position on the first day such that he escapes after n-1 days from the
prison. What position did he select ? Let us denote the solution
as Clever Prisoner Position(n,m)
18
An easier problem
// The following function computes the position of the prisoner
// who will be sentenced to life term when there are n prisoners
// in the row and the selection-number is m
public static int The_Unlucky_Position(int m, int n)
{
???
19
An easier problem
// The following function computes the position of the prisoner
// who will be sentenced to life term when there are n prisoners
// in the row and the selection-number is m
public static int The_Unlucky_Position(int m, int n)
{
if(m%n==0)
return n;
else
return m%n;
}
20
A simple instance : what is Clever Prisoner Position(2,m) ?
if m is odd, then it is 2, otherwise it is 1.
21
Extending to the case : n=3 for any m
Let Clever Prisoner Position(2,m) = i.

What is Clever Prisoner Position(3,m) ?
The solution lies in the following key idea :

The clever prisoner should occupy that position such that
after the execution of one (out of three) prisoner, his position
becomes i
22

What should be Clever Prisoner Position(3,m) ?
Based on the key idea of previous slide there are two cases :
1. Unlucky Position(3,m)>i : ???
2. Unlucky Position(3,m)<=i : ???
23

What should be Clever Prisoner Position(3,m) ?
Based on the key idea of previous slide there are two cases :
1. Unlucky Position(3,m)>i : Clever Prisoner Position(3,m)=i
2. Unlucky Position(3,m)<=i : Clever Prisoner Position(3,m)=i+1
24
Solving the problem in full generality
Let Clever Prisoner Position(n,m) = i.

There are two cases :
1. Unlucky Position(n+1,m)>i :
Clever Prisoner Position(n+1,m)=i
2. Unlucky Position(n+1,m)<=i :
Clever Prisoner Position(n+1,m)=i+1
Solve the problem bottom up using a for loop

(the complete code is available on the course
webpage, enjoy ...)
25

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ESc101 : Fundamental of Computing

• Structured programming using methods

return type method name(input)

if there is no input parameter, we leave the parenthesis blank.

• To solve a problem, divide it into smaller subproblem.

• Divide each smaller sub-problem into further smaller sub-sub-problems until

• finally for each problem, sub-problems,sub-sub-problems, write a separate

• It is an easier way to design solution of the problem.

• Printing a Diamond with a given half-width

• Computing the Maximum value permutation for an integer

Num_of_Digits(m) Power_of_Ten(i) Max_Digit_Index(n,digits) Value_of_Digit_at_Index(n,index)

Num_of_Digits(m) Power_of_Ten(i) Max_Digit_Index(n,digits) Value_of_Digit_at_Index(n,index)

Num_of_Digits(m) Power_of_Ten(i) Max_Digit_Index(n,digits) Value_of_Digit_at_Index(n,index)

1. Understanding the problem statement carefully

2. Working on simple examples

3. Working on related problems which are easier

4. Develop insight into the problem using steps 2 and 3

5. Solving the problem

There are n prisoners in Jail.

if m is odd, then it is 2, otherwise it is 1.

Let Clever Prisoner Position(2,m) = i.

The solution lies in the following key idea :

Let Clever Prisoner Position(2,m) = i.

1. Unlucky Position(3,m)>i : ???

2. Unlucky Position(3,m)<=i : ???

Let Clever Prisoner Position(2,m) = i.

1. Unlucky Position(3,m)>i : Clever Prisoner Position(3,m)=i

2. Unlucky Position(3,m)<=i : Clever Prisoner Position(3,m)=i+1

Let Clever Prisoner Position(n,m) = i.

Solve the problem bottom up using a for loop

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