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Zero to 100 with 12345 (Posted on 2005-10-29) Difficulty: 4 of 5
Find an expression for each integer zero to 100 which satisfies the following conditions:

- Each of the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 appears exactly once in each expression and no other numbers. There is no concatenation or decimal points.
- Each of the four elementary operations (+ - * /) appears exactly once in each expression.
- The only other items which may be in an expression are factorial (!) and parentheses. Factorials and parentheses may occur as many times as needed or not be used at all.

Example: 0=5+3-4*2/1 or 0=(3!+4)/5-2*1

See The Solution Submitted by Brian Smith    
Rating: 2.0000 (2 votes)

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Solution computer solution -- minimum use of factorial | Comment 2 of 7 |

The numbers 36 onward all need the factorial in their representation, as do 26, 29, 31 and 34.  Most of the number have several representations; I've selected those with the fewest !'s.  The left column contains Reverse Polish Notation, and the right column shows the algebraic notation.  First 1 through 100:


1,2,3,4,5-+/*               1   1         1*2/(3+4-5)
3,4,2+/,5,1-*               2   2         (3/(4+2))*(5-1)
1,2,3,4-/,5+*               3   3         1*(2/(3-4)+5)
4,5,3,1*-/,2+               4   4         4/(5-3*1)+2
1,2,3,4-+/,5*               5   5         (1/(2+3-4))*5
3,1/,5-,4,2*+               6   6         3/1-5+4*2
3,2*,5,1-,4/+               7   7         3*2+(5-1)/4
1,5,4,2/*+,3-               8   8         1+5*4/2-3
5,3,1/,2-*,4+               9   9         5*(3/1-2)+4
5,3,1/-,2,4*+              10  10         5-3/1+2*4
3,4,2/,5,1-*+              11  11         3+(4/2)*(5-1)
4,3-,1/,5+,2*              12  12         ((4-3)/1+5)*2
4,1/,2+,3*,5-              13  13         (4/1+2)*3-5
5,3,1-+,4*,2/              14  14         (5+3-1)*4/2
1,5+,3,2,4/-*              15  15         (1+5)*(3-2/4)
4,2-,5,1/,3+*              16  16         (4-2)*(5/1+3)
3,5*,4+,2-,1/              17  17         (3*5+4-2)/1
4,2/,5+,1-,3*              18  18         (4/2+5-1)*3
1,3-,2/,5,4*+              19  19         (1-3)/2+5*4
1,5+,4,2,3/-*              20  20         (1+5)*(4-2/3)
5,4,2-+,3*,1/              21  21         (5+4-2)*3/1
5,3,2/+,1-,4*              22  22         (5+3/2-1)*4
5,4*,3+,2,1-/              23  23         (5*4+3)/(2-1)
5,2,3,1-/+,4*              24  24         (5+2/(3-1))*4
4,3+,2-,1/,5*              25  25         ((4+3-2)/1)*5
3!,5,4+*,2/,1-             26  26         3!*(5+4)/2-1
5,4+,3*,2,1-/              27  27         (5+4)*3/(2-1)
5,1,3/-,4,2+*              28  28         (5-1/3)*(4+2)
1,5!*,4/,3-,2+             29  29         1*5!/4-3+2
3,5,1/+,4*,2-              30  30         (3+5/1)*4-2
1,3*,2-,5!,4/+             31  31         1*3-2+5!/4
3,2,1-/,5+,4*              32  32         (3/(2-1)+5)*4
5,4,3+*,2-,1/              33  33         (5*(4+3)-2)/1
4,5,3,2,1-/!*+             34  34         4+5*(3/(2-1))!
3,4,2,1-/+,5*              35  35         (3+4/(2-1))*5
3,4!*,5,1,2+-/             36  36         3*4!/(5-(1+2))
4,1/!,2-,3,5*+             37  37         (4/1)!-2+3*5
2,5+,3,1/!*,4-             38  38         (2+5)*(3/1)!-4
3!,5,4,1-,2/+*             39  39         3!*(5+(4-1)/2)
2,4,1+,3/-,5!*             40  40         (2-(4+1)/3)*5!
2,5,4!*,3/+,1-             41  41         2+5*4!/3-1
5!,1,4+/,3-,2*             42  42         (5!/(1+4)-3)*2
5,2,4!+*,1-,3/             43  43         (5*(2+4!)-1)/3
3,5-,4!+,1/,2*             44  44         ((3-5+4!)/1)*2
2,1,3/-,4!*,5+             45  45         (2-1/3)*4!+5
2,4!,1/*,3,5-+             46  46         2*4!/1+3-5
4!,3,1/-,2*,5+             47  47         (4!-3/1)*2+5
4,5,1,3+-/!,2*             48  48         (4/(5-(1+3)))!*2
2,4!,1,5,3-/+*             49  49         2*(4!+1/(5-3))
2,1/,4!,5,3-*+             50  50         2/1+4!*(5-3)
4!,5,2+-,3*,1/             51  51         (4!-(5+2))*3/1
3,1/!,5,4+*,2-             52  52         (3/1)!*(5+4)-2
4!,5,2/+,3,1-*             53  53         (4!+5/2)*(3-1)
5,4+,3,2,1-/!*             54  54         (5+4)*(3/(2-1))!
5,2+,4!,3/*,1-             55  55         (5+2)*4!/3-1
5!,4/,3-,1+,2*             56  56         (5!/4-3+1)*2
3,5!,4,2+/,1-*             57  57         3*(5!/(4+2)-1)
1,2,5!,4/*,3-+             58  58         1+2*5!/4-3
2,4,1/!,5-,3*+             59  59         2+((4/1)!-5)*3
5!,4/,3,1+,2-*             60  60         (5!/4)*(3+1-2)
4,1,3*-,5!,2/+             61  61         4-1*3+5!/2
4!,5,3/,1+*,2-             62  62         4!*(5/3+1)-2
4,1/!,2+,5-,3*             63  63         ((4/1)!+2-5)*3
4,3,2/,1-,5!*+             64  64         4+(3/2-1)*5!
4!,3+,1-,5*,2/             65  65         (4!+3-1)*5/2
3,5!,4,1+/,2-*             66  66         3*(5!/(4+1)-2)
4!,5,3/-,2,1+*             67  67         (4!-5/3)*(2+1)
5!,2/,3,1-,4*+             68  68         5!/2+(3-1)*4
3,1/,4!*,2+,5-             69  69         (3/1)*4!+2-5
3,1,4+!*,5/,2-             70  70         3*(1+4)!/5-2
4!,2,1/-,3*,5+             71  71         (4!-2/1)*3+5
3,5!,4,2,1-+/*             72  72         3*5!/(4+2-1)
2,4,1/!+,3*,5-             73  73         (2+(4/1)!)*3-5
5!,3/,4-,1+,2*             74  74         (5!/3-4+1)*2
4!,3,1/*,5+,2-             75  75         4!*3/1+5-2
4,3!,5,1-!*,2/+            76  76         4+3!*(5-1)!/2
2,5!*,3/,4-,1+             77  77         2*5!/3-4+1
3,4!,5,1-,2/+*             78  78         3*(4!+(5-1)/2)
1,2,5!*+,4-,3/             79  79         (1+2*5!-4)/3
5,2,3/,1+-,4!*             80  80         (5-(2/3+1))*4!
3,4!,5,2,1/-+*             81  81         3*(4!+5-2/1)
5!,3+,2,4,1-/*             82  82         (5!+3)*2/(4-1)
2,4,1-/,5!*,3+             83  83         (2/(4-1))*5!+3
4!,2,5+*,3,1-/             84  84         4!*(2+5)/(3-1)
3,4!,1/,5+*,2-             85  85         3*(4!/1+5)-2
3,1+!,5,2/-,4*             86  86         ((3+1)!-5/2)*4
4!,5,3/,2+*,1-             87  87         4!*(5/3+2)-1
4!,2/,1-,5,3+*             88  88         (4!/2-1)*(5+3)
5!,4/,3*,1,2-+             89  89         (5!/4)*3+1-2
4,1-,2*!,3,5+/             90  90         ((4-1)*2)!/(3+5)
3,1,5!,4/+*,2-             91  91         3*(1+5!/4)-2
5,3+,2/,4!,1-*             92  92         ((5+3)/2)*(4!-1)
2,1-,5!,4/+,3*             93  93         (2-1+5!/4)*3
5!,3!,4*,2+,1/-            94  94         5!-(3!*4+2)/1
3,2+!,4,5/*,1-             95  95         (3+2)!*4/5-1
4!,5,3-,1/,2+*             96  96         4!*((5-3)/1+2)
1,5!+,3!,2/!,4*-           97  97         1+5!-(3!/2)!*4
4,1+,5!,3!/*,2-            98  98         (4+1)*5!/3!-2
5!,1,2/,4-,3!*+            99  99         5!+(1/2-4)*3!
3,2,1/+!,4,5*-            100 100         (3+2/1)!-4*5

For zero, a couple of examples are given in the puzzle itself. Here's a sampling of the 876 found for zero:

((1+2-3)/4)*5
((1+2-3)/5)*4
((1+3-4)/2)*5
((1+3-4)/5)*2
((1+4-5)/2)*3
((1+4-5)/3)*2
((1+5)/2-3)*4
((1+5)/3)*2-4
((1+5)/3-2)*4
((1+5)/4)*2-3
((1-3)*2+4)/5
((1-3+2)/4)*5
((1-3+2)/5)*4
((1-4+3)/2)*5
((1-4+3)/5)*2
((1-5+4)/2)*3
((1-5+4)/3)*2
((2+1-3)/4)*5
((2+1-3)/5)*4
((2+3)*1-5)/4
((2+3)/1-5)*4
((2+3)/5-1)*4
((2+3-5)/1)*4
((2+3-5)/4)*1
((2-3+1)/4)*5
((2-3+1)/5)*4
((2-5)*1+3)/4
((2-5)/1+3)*4
((2-5)/3+1)*4
((2-5+3)/1)*4
((2-5+3)/4)*1
((3+1-4)/2)*5
((3+1-4)/5)*2
((3+2)*1-5)/4
((3+2)/1-5)*4
((3+2)/5-1)*4
((3+2-5)/1)*4
((3+2-5)/4)*1
((3+5)/2)*1-4
((3+5)/2-4)*1
((3+5)/4)*1-2
((3+5)/4-2)*1
((3-(1+2))/4)*5
((3-(1+2))/5)*4
((3-(2+1))/4)*5
((3-(2+1))/5)*4
((3-4+1)/2)*5
((3-4+1)/5)*2
((3-5)*1+2)/4
((3-5)*2+4)/1
((3-5)/1)*2+4
((3-5)/1+2)*4
((3-5)/2+1)*4
((3-5)/4)*2+1
((3-5+2)/1)*4
((3-5+2)/4)*1
((4+1-5)/2)*3
((4+1-5)/3)*2
((4-(1+3))/2)*5
((4-(1+3))/5)*2
((4-(3+1))/2)*5
((4-(3+1))/5)*2
((4-5+1)/2)*3
((4-5+1)/3)*2
((5+1)/2-3)*4
((5+1)/3)*2-4
((5+1)/3-2)*4
((5+1)/4)*2-3
((5+3)/2)*1-4
((5+3)/2-4)*1
((5+3)/4)*1-2
((5+3)/4-2)*1

(2*(1-3)+4)/5
(2*(3-5)+4)/1
(2*1+3-5)/4
(2*1-5+3)/4
(2*3-(1+5))/4
(2*3-(5+1))/4
(2*4-(3+5))/1
(2*4-(5+3))/1
(2+(3-5)*1)/4
(2+(3-5)/1)*4
(2+1*(3-5))/4
(2+1*3-5)/4
(2+1-3)*4/5
(2+1-3)*5/4
(2+1-3)/4*5
(2+1-3)/5*4
(2+3*1-5)/4

(2/3)*(1+4-5)
(2/3)*(1+5)-4
(2/3)*(1-5+4)
(2/3)*(4+1-5)
(2/3)*(4-5+1)
(2/3)*(5+1)-4
(2/3)*(5-(1+4
(2/3)*(5-(4+1
(2/4)*(1+5)-3
(2/4)*(3-5)+1
(2/4)*(5+1)-3
(2/5)*(1+3-4)
(2/5)*(1-4+3)
(2/5)*(3+1-4)
(2/5)*(3-4+1)
(2/5)*(4-(1+3
(2/5)*(4-(3+1
(3*1+2-5)/4
(3*1+5)/2-4
(3*1+5)/4-2
(3*1-5+2)/4
(3*2-(1+5))/4
(3*2-(5+1))/4
(3+(2-5)*1)/4
(3+(2-5)/1)*4
(3+1*(2-5))/4
(3+1*2-5)/4
(3+1*5)/2-4
(3+1*5)/4-2
(3+1-4)*2/5
(3+1-4)*5/2
(3+1-4)/2*5
(3+1-4)/5*2
(3+2*1-5)/4
(3+2-1*5)/4
(3+2-5)*1/4
(3+2-5)*4/1
(3+2-5)/1*4
(3+2-5)/4*1
(3+2-5*1)/4
(3+2-5/1)*4
(3+2/1-5)*4
(3+4/2)*1-5
(3+4/2-5)*1
(3+5)*1/2-4
(3+5)*1/4-2
(3+5)/1*2-4
(3+5)/1*4-2
(3+5)/1-2*4
(3+5)/1-4*2
(3+5)/2*1-4
(3+5)/2*4-1
(3+5)/2-1*4
(3+5)/2-4*1

3*(1+4-5)/2
3*(1-5+4)/2
3*(4+1-5)/2
3*(4-5+1)/2
3*(5-(1+4))/2
3*(5-(4+1))/2
3*1+4/2-5
3*1-5+4/2

An interesting challenge is to find the first number that's not expressible this way.  It lies within the range 101-200 (three numbers in that range are not expressible in the confines of the problem).

The program for 1-100 follows; the one for zero is similar.  The output is RPN only; a separate program converted RPN to algebraic notation:

DECLARE FUNCTION fact& (x&)
DEFLNG A-Z
DECLARE SUB try ()
CLEAR , , 25000
OPEN "0-100f.txt" FOR OUTPUT AS #2
DIM SHARED noNums, no8s, noOps, stack#(30), lvl
DIM SHARED stacksize, f$, ctSol, hlvl, used(5), avail$

avail$ = "+-*/"

f$ = "": noNums = 0:  stacksize = 0: no8s = 0: noOps = 0

FOR i = 1 TO 5
 f$ = LTRIM$(STR$(i))
 noNums = 1
 used(i) = 1
 stacksize = 1
 stack#(1) = i
 no8s = 1
 noOps = 0

 try

 used(i) = 0

NEXT
CLOSE
PRINT ctSol

FUNCTION fact (x)
 t = 1
 FOR i = 2 TO x
   t = t * i
 NEXT
 fact = t
END FUNCTION

SUB try
 lvl = lvl + 1
 IF lvl > hlvl THEN hlvl = lvl: PRINT lvl, f$
 IF no8s < 5 THEN
   FOR tNo = 1 TO 5
    IF used(tNo) = 0 THEN
     used(tNo) = 1
     f$ = f$ + "," + LTRIM$(STR$(tNo))
     stacksize = stacksize + 1
     stack#(stacksize) = tNo
     no8s = no8s + 1
     try
     f$ = LEFT$(f$, LEN(f$) - 2)
     stacksize = stacksize - 1
     no8s = no8s - 1
     used(tNo) = 0
    END IF
   NEXT tNo
 END IF
 dontFact = 0
 IF LEN(f$) > 3 THEN
   IF RIGHT$(f$, 2) = "!!" THEN dontFact = 1
 END IF
 IF stack#(stacksize) <= 12 AND stack#(stacksize) >= 0 AND dontFact = 0 THEN
   f$ = f$ + "!"
   ssSave# = stack#(stacksize)
   IF ssSave# = INT(ssSave#) AND ssSave# > 2 THEN
     arg = ssSave#
     stack#(stacksize) = fact(arg)

     try
   END IF
  
   f$ = LEFT$(f$, LEN(f$) - 1)
   stack#(stacksize) = ssSave#
 END IF
 IF stacksize > 1 THEN
   h2# = stack#(stacksize)
   stacksize = stacksize - 1
   h1# = stack#(stacksize)
 
   ix = INSTR(avail$, "+")
   IF ix THEN
     avail$ = LEFT$(avail$, ix - 1) + MID$(avail$, ix + 1)
     stack#(stacksize) = h1# + h2#
     f$ = f$ + "+"
     try
     f$ = LEFT$(f$, LEN(f$) - 1)
     avail$ = avail$ + "+"
   END IF

   ix = INSTR(avail$, "-")
   IF ix THEN
     avail$ = LEFT$(avail$, ix - 1) + MID$(avail$, ix + 1)
     stack#(stacksize) = h1# - h2#
     f$ = f$ + "-"
     try
     f$ = LEFT$(f$, LEN(f$) - 1)
     avail$ = avail$ + "-"
   END IF

   ix = INSTR(avail$, "*")
   IF ix THEN
     avail$ = LEFT$(avail$, ix - 1) + MID$(avail$, ix + 1)
     IF h1# = 0 OR h2# = 0 THEN
      tst = 1
     ELSE
      tst = (LOG(ABS(h1#)) + LOG(ABS(h2#))) / LOG(10)
     END IF
     IF tst < 300 THEN
       stack#(stacksize) = 1# * h1# * h2#
       f$ = f$ + "*"
       try
       f$ = LEFT$(f$, LEN(f$) - 1)
     END IF
     avail$ = avail$ + "*"
   END IF

   ix = INSTR(avail$, "/")
   IF ix THEN
     avail$ = LEFT$(avail$, ix - 1) + MID$(avail$, ix + 1)
     IF h2# <> 0 THEN
       stack#(stacksize) = h1# / h2#
       f$ = f$ + "/"
       try
       f$ = LEFT$(f$, LEN(f$) - 1)
     END IF
     avail$ = avail$ + "/"
   END IF
  
   
   stack#(stacksize) = h1#
   stacksize = stacksize + 1
   stack#(stacksize) = h2#
 ELSE
   IF no8s = 5 AND avail$ = "" AND stacksize = 1 THEN
    solt# = INT(stack#(1) + .5)
    IF stack#(1) <> 0 AND ABS(stack#(1)) < 101 THEN
    IF ABS(ABS(solt# / stack#(1)) - 1) < 1E-08 THEN
     PRINT USING "\                      \ #### ###"; f$; stack#(1); ABS(stack#(1))
     PRINT #2, USING "\                      \ #### ###"; f$; stack#(1); ABS(stack#(1))
     ctSol = ctSol + 1
     PRINT ctSol
    END IF
    END IF
   END IF
 END IF
 lvl = lvl - 1
 EXIT SUB
END SUB


 


  Posted by Charlie on 2005-10-29 14:02:18
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