At 11:01 AM -0400 5/9/02, Geuns, Hans wrote:
>Ack! 90% of programming is correcting typos -- why do I love my job?... But
>even when the typo is corrected, there's still something fishy about this
>code.

Note that we all get better at finding bugs.  The rate of creation 
stays about the same, but the complexity of the bugs you can create 
and fix increases.  Bugs that drove you nuts at the start of the 
semester will be dispatched with ease in a year or two.

>  > What is the complexity of the following code (how fast does it run)?
>>
>>  for (int i=n; i > 0; i = i--)
>>      for (int j=1; j < 1; j = j*2)  >> READ: for (int j=1; j < i; j =
>j*2)
>  >            print(j);

I don't believe I was quite that devious to spot the difference 
between "i--" and "i = i--", though I agree that the second form is 
very odd.

If you find a problem that you think is devious, confusing, or 
otherwise broken, write a short note on the test explaining your 
insight, and solve the problem to the best of your ability. (Please 
don't try reduce the problem to a triviality.)  If there are multiple 
correct solutions, we will give credit for each.

- jeff parker

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