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I am currently creating a maths game and need a little help.

Inside the Game you can add up coins.

maximum 1 each

(1p,2p,5p,10p,20p,50p,£1,£2)

You can also multiply the current sum

maximum 1 each

(x2,x3,x5)

The total sum of adding coins and multiplying has to equal to a random generated number which is between £10 and £20.(with decimals)

An example: Random Number = £12.22

Answer: [50p] [x2] [£1] [x5] [£2] [20p] [2p]

My Question is: If there is always a solution to a random Generated Number? If the answer is no then what should be the upper-bound

Thank you

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  • $\begingroup$ Well you obviously cannot get higher than (1p+2p+5p+10p+20p+50p+$1+£2)x5=19.40 unless you are allowed to use coins more than once. There are also some lower numbers you cannot get. $\endgroup$ – almagest Jun 18 '16 at 21:41
  • $\begingroup$ sorry couldn't explain properly. You can also multiply with the number 2 and 3. It doesn't have to be in the end of sum. $\endgroup$ – TaZlyy Jun 18 '16 at 21:44
  • $\begingroup$ But can you multiply the £2 by both 3 and 5? $\endgroup$ – almagest Jun 18 '16 at 21:47
  • $\begingroup$ for example (1p+2p+5p+10p+20p+50p+£1+£2)x5x3x2 = £116.4 or (1p x2 +2p+5p x5 +10p+20p x3 +50p+£1+£2) = £5.75 $\endgroup$ – TaZlyy Jun 18 '16 at 21:48
  • $\begingroup$ But can you multiply the £2 by both 3 and 5? yes you can $\endgroup$ – TaZlyy Jun 18 '16 at 21:49
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I wrote a program to scan the possible plays, and the maximum number of actions (add a coin or multiply) required to reach any value in your playing range is $9$, which occurs only twice at $£16.99$ and $£19.99$

All values up to $£40.00$ are also reachable with no more than $10$ actions. The first value to require all $11$ actions is $£41.99$. The lowest value that cannot be reached is $£59.97$, and $£59.99$ is also unreachable.

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  • $\begingroup$ oh wow that is awesome... I wrote this code in Java and I was trying to solve the number £15.98 and am struggling. But its good to know that they all work. I would also like to know the first unreachable number as its very interesting. Thank you Joffan $\endgroup$ – TaZlyy Jun 18 '16 at 22:29
  • $\begingroup$ "Amazingly"? I'm not surprised. I'd be interested in which values are easy to reach and which are hard. I imagine x.99 are generally few ways to reach. $\endgroup$ – fleablood Jun 18 '16 at 22:33
  • $\begingroup$ @TaZlyy £15.98 can be made as 5p, +£1, $\times 5$, +1p, $\times 3$, +20p $\endgroup$ – Joffan Jun 18 '16 at 22:59
  • $\begingroup$ thanks joffan, you helped me alot! +rep $\endgroup$ – TaZlyy Jun 18 '16 at 23:12

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