On my way to work, I pass by a digital thermometer outside a bank that displays the temperature to the nearest integer, alternating back and forth between Fahrenheit and Celsius at four-second intervals.

The other day, when I was going to work, I noticed that the temperatures displayed in Fahrenheit and Celsius were simply reverse digits of each other.

Well, it warmed up nicely during the day, and when I was on my way home, I looked at the same thermometer.
Imagine my shock when, again, the Fahrenheit and Celsius temperature displays were simply reversed digits of each other!

What was the temperature when I came in to work, and what was it when I was on my way home?

Note: To convert from degrees Fahrenheit to Celsius, subtract 32 then multiply by 5/9. To convert the other way, simply do the opposite (multiply by 9/5 and add 32). Ignore leading zeroes.

I know most of you computer people are probably cringing at a Microsoft solution.

I used Excel. I set A1-1, A2 at 2 w/simple formula A1+1-copied...A100-100.

Set B1 at A1*9/5+32, and copied down to B100, then set column width at two so it rounded for me.

Then I looked down the list until I saw the reversed digits.

Pretty clever for me, because I am not very good with puters, not illiterate by any means, but do not know much programming except very limited HTML and Basic.

Posted by john on 2005-06-08 19:22:38