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This is actually a Google recruiting Web site

This is actually a Google recruiting Web site. A correct answer takes you to Google’s Web site.

Reader comments

Anthony LangfordJul 12, 2004 at 6:26PM

5966290435

Satyajit GroverJul 13, 2004 at 12:55AM

There is also a not-so-secret Google recruiting puzzle in the opening pages of the Aug. 2004 issue of Dr. Dobb's Journal.

cyberhillJul 13, 2004 at 1:49AM

I hope they were only wanting one algorithm expert, because after so many news sites and weblogs have posted the answers to the puzzle and some even a link to the final page - the email address listed has got to have been spammed by so many illegitimate users.

DarinJul 14, 2004 at 4:01AM

Ah shucks, I spent three hours figuring this one out and then I realize you can just Google it. Gosh. Anyhow, I went through the effort of trying to solve it as a cos equation (which I actually managed, it is a non-symetrical parabola and thus a y= equation is possible). Then looking at f(1) i realized that it was the first ten digits of e. Then I found a copy of the first 10000000 digits or whatever of e and looked for the other number sets. Then tried to find a common thread a la Russle Crow in A Beautiful Mind. Found out that the presented sets all added up to 49, found the next set that did that, entered it and poof-- Google Labs recruitment page.

kipJul 14, 2004 at 10:30AM

Result 5966290435. :-)

#include

#define m 520
#define n 1005

int main(int argc, char **argv){

int i, k, r, rip=0, c, sum=49, index;

int A[m][n], E[n];

A[1][0]=1;

for(i=1; i A[1][i]=0;
}

for(k=2; k r=0;
for(i=0; i A[k][i]=(r+A[k-1][i])/k;
r=((r+A[k-1][i])%k)*10;
}
}
printf("\nScrittura Matrice Terminata\n");

for(c=n; c>0;c--){
E[c]=rip;

for(i=1; i E[c]=E[c]+A[i][c];
}
rip=E[c]/10;
E[c]=E[c]%10;
}
printf("e=2,");

for(i=1; i printf("%d", E[i]);
}
for(index=1;index sum=(sum-E[index]+E[index+10]);
if(sum==49)
printf("\nsum=%d\n",index);
}
}

vonkamykJul 23, 2004 at 12:19PM

What is a math equation e function f(5)? How did you find correctly equation?

This thread is closed to new comments. Thanks to everyone who responded.