problem with a little ruby script - ruby

i just began learning ruby.
now im trying to code a little script which plays the montyhall problem
i got a problem with the last line of the code
numgames = 10000 # Number of games to play
switch = true # Switch your guess?
wins = 0
numgames.times do doors = [0, 0, 0] # Three doors!
doors[rand(3)] = 1 # One of them has a car!
guess = doors.delete_at(rand(3)) # We pick one of them!
doors.delete_at(doors[0] == 0 ? 0 : 1) # Take out one of the remaining doors that is not a car!
wins += switch ? doors[0] : guess end
puts "You decided #{switch ? "" : "not "}to switch, and your win % is #{wins.times ()/numgames}"

In the last line replace
wins.times ()
with
wins
times returns Enumerator, which doesn't play well with division.

Two problems:
First, wins and numgames are integers, and integer division returns an integer:
irb(main):001:0> 6632 / 10000
=> 0
So, change wins = 0 to wins = 0.0. This will force a floating point division, which will return a floating point answer.
Second, wins is a number, not an array. So get rid of wins.times() and wins.size(). Both are wrong.
With these two changes in place, I consistently get around 66% wins, which just goes to show that Marilyn vos Savant is way smarter than I am.

Your wins is an integer so you don't need .times or .size, you do, however, want .to_f to force things into floating point mode:
wins.to_f / numgames
And if you want a percentage, then you'll have to multiply by 100:
wins.to_f / numgames * 100
You should also properly indent your code for readability and break things up with line breaks to make it easier to read and easier for the parser to figure out:
numgames = 10000 # Number of games to play
switch = true # Switch your guess?
wins = 0
numgames.times do
doors = [0, 0, 0] # Three doors!
doors[rand(3)] = 1 # One of them has a car!
guess = doors.delete_at(rand(3)) # We pick one of them!
doors.delete_at(doors[0] == 0 ? 0 : 1) # Take out one of the remaining doors that is not a car!
wins += switch ? doors[0] : guess
end
puts "You decided #{switch ? "" : "not "}to switch, and your win % is #{100 * wins.to_f / numgames}"

Related

Odds of rolling two dice with equal outcomes seem more common than I pictured

After running this program several times i noticed that my y value is somewhere between 60-80 every single time.
I thought because 70^2 is 4900 that i would end up with my y value ending up around 1 each run through, but actually its about a 1 in 70 chance of the dice equaling each other.
So why is it that rolling 2 70 sided dice and having the results equal each other is not a 1/4900 chance, but rather a 1/70 chance? Heres the program...
x=0
y=0
while x < 4900
random = rand(70)
random2 = rand(70)
puts " "
puts random
puts random2
if random == random2
puts "the numbers matched"
y+=1
end
x+=1
if x == 4900
puts " "
puts y
end
end
There are 4900 possible outcomes (1,1), (1,2), (1,3) .. ,(70, 70)
There are 70 outcomes that are suitable for your condition - (1,1), (2,2) .. (70,70)
So, the probability is needed_outcomes/all_outcomes = 70/4900 = 1/70 ~= 0.0142858
In test program number of tests is not connected to number of outcomes. Larger number of tests tends to show more accurate results (through in this case we don't program at all, but there is ruby tag in the question).
So, we can try this:
x=0
total_matches = 0.0
N = 1000000
while x < N
random = rand(1..70)
random2 = rand(1..70)
total_matches += 1 if random == random2
x += 1
end
puts total_matches/N
It gives something around 0.0142.
If you wish to estimate the probability of two thrown 70-sided dice showing the same value (which we know to be (1.0/70).round(6) #=> 0.014286) by simulating throws, you can assume one die always shows the same given value and repeatedly throw the second die only, counting the number of times it shows the assumed value of the first die, and then divide the count by the number of throws. (See my comment on the question.)
Suppose each die has sides labelled 0, 1,...,69 and we assume the first die always shows a 0. We can then simulate as follows:
def simulate(nbr_throws)
nbr_throws.times.sum { rand(70) == 0 ? 1 : 0 }.fdiv(nbr_throws).round(6)
end
simulate( 100) #=> 0.01
simulate( 1_000) #=> 0.016
simulate( 10_000) #=> 0.0151
simulate( 100_000) #=> 0.01358
simulate( 1_000_000) #=> 0.014305
simulate( 10_000_000) #=> 0.014282
simulate(100_000_000) #=> 0.014284
See Kernel#rand and Integer#fdiv. More generally, if each die had n sides, change rand(70) to rand(n).

Stack level too deep in recursion for largest palindrome product question (Project Euler)

I'm trying to implement a recursive solution to the largest palindrome product problem
What I'm trying to do is start both numbers at 999 and iterate down to 100 for num1 and then restart num1 at 999 and iterate num2 down by 1.
The goal is basically to mimic a nested for-loop.
def largest_palindrome_prod(num1 = 999, num2 = 999, largest_so_far = 0)
prod = num1 * num2
largest_so_far = prod if prod > largest_so_far && check_pal(prod)
if num2 == 100
return largest_so_far
elsif num1 == 100
largest_palindrome_prod(num1 = 999, num2 -= 1, largest_so_far)
else
largest_palindrome_prod(num1 -= 1, num2, largest_so_far)
end
end
#I know this function works, just here for reference
def check_pal(num)
num = num.to_s if num.is_a? Integer
if num.length < 2
true
else
num[0] == num[-1] ? check_pal(num[1..-2]) : false
end
end
rb:10:inlargest_palindrome_prod': stack level too deep`
I'm getting this error which is referring to the else statement in the largest_palindrome_prod function, but I can't figure out wast could be causing the stack error.
You don't have an infinite recursion bug. The stack is just running out of space because of the size of your input. To prove this, you can run your same function with the range of 2-digit numbers, instead of the 3-digit ones. It returns fine, which shows that there is no flaw with your logic.
How to get around this? Two options.
Option 1: You could simply not use recursion here (just use a regular nested loop instead)
Option 2: Keep your same code and enable tail call optimization:
# run_code.rb
RubyVM::InstructionSequence.compile_option = {
tailcall_optimization: true,
trace_instruction: false
}
require './palindrome_functions.rb'
puts largest_palindrome_prod
# => 906609
Note, for a reason I don't fully understand, the tail call optimization must be enabled in a different file than the code being run. So if you simply moved the compile_option line to the palindrome_functions.rb file, it wouldn't work.
I cant really give you a full explanation of tail call optimization (look it up on Wikipedia) but from my understanding, its a heavy optimization for recursive functions that only works when the recursive call is at the end of the function body. Your function meets this criteria.
#maxpleaner has answered your question and has shown how you can use recursion that avoids the stack level error. He also mentioned the option (which I expect he favours) of simply looping, rather than employing recursion. Below is one looping solution. The following method is used in the search1.
def check_ranges(range1, range2 = range1)
range1.flat_map do |n|
[n].product((range2.first..[n, range2.last].min).to_a)
end.map { |x,y| x*y }.
sort.
reverse_each.
find do |z|
arr = z.digits
arr == arr.reverse
end
end
Let's first find the largest palindrome of the product of two numbers between 960 and 999 (if there are any):
check_ranges(960..999)
#=> nil
There are none. Note that this calculation was very cheap, requiring the examination of only 40*40/2 #=> 800 products. Next, find the largest palindrome that is equal to the product of two numbers between 920 and 999.
check_ranges(920..999)
#=> 888888
Success! Note that this method re-checks the 800 products we checked earlier. It makes more sense to examine only the cases represented by the following two calls to brute_force:
check_ranges(960..999, 920..959)
#=> 888888
check_ranges(920..959)
#=> 861168
The first call computes 40*40 #=> 1600 products; the second, 800 products.
Of course, we have not yet necessarily found the largest product that is a palindrome. We do, however, have a lower bound on the largest product, which we can use to advantage. Since
888888/999
#=> 889
we infer that if the product of two numbers is larger than 888888, both of those numbers must be at least 889. We therefore need only check:
check_ranges(889..999, 889..919)
#=> 906609
check_ranges(889..919)
#=> 824428
We are finished. This tells us that 906609 is the largest product of two 3-digit numbers that is a palindrome.
The question does not ask what are the two numbers whose product is the largest palindrome, but we can easily find them:
(889..999).to_a.product((889..919).to_a).find { |x,y| x*y == 906609 }
#=> [993, 913]
993*913
#=> 906609
Moreover, let:
a = (889..999).to_a.product((889..919).to_a).map { |x,y| x*y }.
sort.
reverse
Then:
a.index { |n| n == 906609 }
#=> 84
tells us that only the largest 84 elements of this sorted group of 111*31 #=> 3441 products had to be examined before a palindrome (906609) was found.
All of this needs to be organized into a method. Though challenging for a newbie, it should be a good learning experience.
1. It would be useful to test which is faster, arr = z.digits; arr == arr.reverse or s = z.to_s; s == s.reverse.
#maxpleaner already answered, #Cary Swoveland already showed one brute force way using ranges and product. I'd like to show another brute force using a nested loop, easier to follow (IMO):
n = 9999
res = [0]
bottom = 10**(n.digits.size - 1)
n.downto(bottom) do |k|
k.downto(bottom) do |j|
# puts "#{k}, #{j}"
res = [k, j, k * j] if check_pal(k * j) && k * j > res.last
end
end
res
#=> [9999, 9901, 99000099]
I guess it can be optimized further, for example, using
n.downto(n*99/100) do |k|
k.downto(k*99/100) do |j|
Returned [99979, 99681, 9966006699] in 0.7 seconds.
Not required, but this increases the speed:
def check_pal(num)
word = num.to_s
word.reverse == word
end

Using for-loop to add numbers together

If I randomly put in two numbers (first number is smaller), how do I use a for-loop to add all the numbers between and itself?
ex:
first number: 3
second number: 5
the computer should give an answer of '12'.
How do I do that using a for-loop?
In Ruby we seldom use a for loop because it leaves litter behind. Instead, you can very simply do what you want using inject:
(3..5).inject(:+) # => 12
This is using some of the deeper Ruby magic (:+), which is a symbol for the + method and is passed into inject. How it works is a different question and is something you'll need to learn later.
Don't insist on doing something in a language using a particular construct you learned in another language. That will often force non-idiomatic code and will keep you from learning how to do it as other programmers in that language would do it. That creates maintenance issues and makes you less desirable in the workplace.
Simple for loop across the range you defined:
puts "Enter first number: "
first = gets.to_i
puts "Enter second number: "
second = gets.to_i
total = 0
for i in (first..second) do
total += i
end
puts total
Note that if you don't enter a valid number, it will converted to 0. Also this assumes the second number is larger than the first.
In Rails, or in plain-vanilla Ruby with ActiveSupport, you can do something even simpler than a for loop, or than what other people wrote.
(first_num..second_num).sum
This is shorthand for sum in Ruby:
sum = 0
(first_num..second_num).each { |num| sum += num }
first, second = [3,5]
for x in (0..0) do
p (first + second)*(second - first + 1) / 2
end
I know you said for loop, but why not use what Ruby gives you?
> a = 3
> b = 5
> a.upto(b).inject(0) {|m,o| m += o}
=> 12
If you insist on a for loop...
> m = 0
=> 0
> for i in 3..5
* m += i
* end
=> 3..5
> m
=> 12
Since Ruby 2.4 you directly call sum on an Enumerable.
For Example [1, 2, 3].sum #=> 6
In Ruby it's very rare to see a for loop. In this instance a more idiomatic method would be upto:
x = 3
y = 5
total = 0
x.upto(y) do |n|
total += n
end
puts total
# => 12
Another method would be to use reduce:
total = x.upto(y).reduce do |sum, n|
sum += n
end
...which can be shortened to this:
total = x.upto(y).reduce(&:+)

Comparing two Integers by their divisibility

For instance:
8 > 10 = true, since 8 is divisible by 2 three times and 10 only once.
How can I compare two integers from any range of numbers? Are the modulo and divide operator capable of doing this task?
Use binary caculate to judge it
def devided_by_two(i)
return i.to_s(2).match(/0*$/).to_s.count('0')
end
To make integer divisibility by 2, just transcode it to binary and judge how many zero from end of banary number. The code I provide can be more simple I think.
Yes, they are capable. A number is even if, when you divide it by two, the remainder is zero.
Hence, you can use a loop to continuously divide by two until you get an odd number, keeping a count of how many times you did it.
The (pseudo-code) function for assigning a "divisibility by two, continuously" value to a number would be something like:
def howManyDivByTwo(x):
count = 0
while x % 2 == 0:
count = count + 1
x = x / 2 # make sure integer division
return count
That shouldn't be too hard to turn into Ruby (or any procedural-type language, really), such as:
def howManyDivByTwo(x)
count = 0
while x % 2 == 0
count = count + 1
x = x / 2
end
return count
end
print howManyDivByTwo(4), "\n"
print howManyDivByTwo(10), "\n"
print howManyDivByTwo(11), "\n"
print howManyDivByTwo(65536), "\n"
This outputs the correct:
2
1
0
16
Astute readers will have noticed there's an edge case in that function, you probably don't want to try passing zero to it. If it was production code, you'd need to catch that and act intelligently since you can divide zero by two until the cows come home, without ever reaching an odd number.
What value you return for zero depends on needs you haven't specified in detail. Theoretically (mathematically), you should return infinity but I'll leave that up to you.
Notice that you will likely mess up much of your code if you redefine such basic method. Knowing that, this is how it's done:
class Integer
def <=> other
me = self
return 0 if me.zero? and other.zero?
return -1 if other.zero?
return 1 if me.zero?
while me.even? and other.even?
me /= 2
other /= 2
end
return 0 if me.odd? and other.odd?
return -1 if me.odd?
return 1 if other.odd? # This condition is redundant, but is here for symmetry.
end
end

Simple recursion problem

I'm taking my first steps into recursion and dynamic programming and have a question about forming subproblems to model the recursion.
Problem:
How many different ways are there to
flip a fair coin 5 times and not have
three or more heads in a row?
If some could put up some heavily commented code (Ruby preferred but not essential) to help me get there. I am not a student if that matters, this is a modification of a Project Euler problem to make it very simple for me to grasp. I just need to get the hang of writing recursion formulas.
If you would like to abstract the problem into how many different ways are there to flip a fair coin Y times and not have Z or more heads in a row, that may be beneficial as well. Thanks again, this website rocks.
You can simply create a formula for that:
The number of ways to flip a coin 5 times without having 3 heads in a row is equal to the number of combinations of 5 coin flips minus the combinations with at least three heads in a row. In this case:
HHH-- (4 combinations)
THHH- (2 combinations)
TTHHH (1 combination)
The total number of combinations = 2^5 = 32. And 32 - 7 = 25.
If we flip a coin N times without Q heads in a row, the total amount is 2^N and the amount with at least Q heads is 2^(N-Q+1)-1. So the general answer is:
Flip(N,Q) = 2^N - 2^(N-Q+1) +1
Of course you can use recursion to simulate the total amount:
flipme: N x N -> N
flipme(flipsleft, maxhead) = flip(flipsleft, maxhead, 0)
flip: N x N x N -> N
flip(flipsleft, maxhead, headcount) ==
if flipsleft <= 0 then 0
else if maxhead<=headcount then 0
else
flip(flipsleft - 1, maxhead, headcount+1) + // head
flip(flipsleft - 1, maxhead, maxhead) // tail
Here's my solution in Ruby
def combination(length=5)
return [[]] if length == 0
combination(length-1).collect {|c| [:h] + c if c[0..1]!= [:h,:h]}.compact +
combination(length-1).collect {|c| [:t] + c }
end
puts "There are #{combination.length} ways"
All recursive methods start with an early out for the end case.
return [[]] if length == 0
This returns an array of combinations, where the only combination of zero length is []
The next bit (simplified) is...
combination(length-1).collect {|c| [:h] + c } +
combination(length-1).collect {|c| [:t] + c }
So.. this says.. I want all combinations that are one shorter than the desired length with a :head added to each of them... plus all the combinations that are one shorter with a tail added to them.
The way to think about recursion is.. "assuming I had a method to do the n-1 case.. what would I have to add to make it cover the n case". To me it feels like proof by induction.
This code would generate all combinations of heads and tails up to the given length.
We don't want ones that have :h :h :h. That can only happen where we have :h :h and we are adding a :h. So... I put an if c[0..1] != [:h,:h] on the adding of the :h so it will return nil instead of an array when it was about to make an invalid combination.
I then had to compact the result to ignore all results that are just nil
Isn't this a matter of taking all possible 5 bit sequences and removing the cases where there are three sequential 1 bits (assuming 1 = heads, 0 = tails)?
Here's one way to do it in Python:
#This will hold all possible combinations of flipping the coins.
flips = [[]]
for i in range(5):
#Loop through the existing permutations, and add either 'h' or 't'
#to the end.
for j in range(len(flips)):
f = flips[j]
tails = list(f)
tails.append('t')
flips.append(tails)
f.append('h')
#Now count how many of the permutations match our criteria.
fewEnoughHeadsCount = 0
for flip in flips:
hCount = 0
hasTooManyHeads = False
for c in flip:
if c == 'h': hCount += 1
else: hCount = 0
if hCount >= 3: hasTooManyHeads = True
if not hasTooManyHeads: fewEnoughHeadsCount += 1
print 'There are %s ways.' % fewEnoughHeadsCount
This breaks down to:
How many ways are there to flip a fair coin four times when the first flip was heads + when the first flip was tails:
So in python:
HEADS = "1"
TAILS = "0"
def threeOrMoreHeadsInARow(bits):
return "111" in bits
def flip(n = 5, flips = ""):
if threeOrMoreHeadsInARow(flips):
return 0
if n == 0:
return 1
return flip(n - 1, flips + HEADS) + flip(n - 1, flips + TAILS)
Here's a recursive combination function using Ruby yield statements:
def combinations(values, n)
if n.zero?
yield []
else
combinations(values, n - 1) do |combo_tail|
values.each do |value|
yield [value] + combo_tail
end
end
end
end
And you could use regular expressions to parse out three heads in a row:
def three_heads_in_a_row(s)
([/hhh../, /.hhh./, /..hhh/].collect {|pat| pat.match(s)}).any?
end
Finally, you would get the answer using something like this:
total_count = 0
filter_count = 0
combinations(["h", "t"], 5) do |combo|
count += 1
unless three_heads_in_a_row(combo.join)
filter_count += 1
end
end
puts "TOTAL: #{ total_count }"
puts "FILTERED: #{ filter_count }"
So that's how I would do it :)

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