Math Question

[MrCodeDude]

There's probably an easier way than what I'm doing (just listing them out), but here is the problem:

Find all the sets of four whole numbers with a sum of 16.
Is there some way to find out how many sets there are so I know if I have them all or something? This math problem sucks 🙁
-- mrcodedude

 

[IcemanJer]

assuming the numbers you pick can't be repeated?

 

[rgwalt]

Write a computer program. Four nested do loops should do the trick.

Ryan 🙂

 

[MrCodeDude]

<< assuming the numbers you pick can't be repeated? >>


Yeah, so you can't have like:
4+4+6+2 and 6+2+4+4 as different combo's.
-- mrcodedude

 

[IcemanJer]

and sequence doesn't matter, right?

 

[MrCodeDude]

<< and sequence doesn't matter, right? >>


Nope..
-- mrcodedude

 

[crypticlogin]

If you want to count the number of sets, break down the number of sets of 4 whole numbers that sum to 1, 2, 3, ... until you hit 8 (convenient stopping point). Then the counting is simplified for sets of numbers that sum to 16 since those numbers are already represented as a combination of the ones you already calculated.

I know that's hand wavy, but this is the jist of the recursive methods already proposed.