Python Programming Contest

[John Machin]

John Hazen wrote:
> * Brian Quinlan <brian at sweetapp.com> [2005-07-15 02:08]:
> 
>>You can find the first problem here:
>>http://www.sweetapp.com/pycontest/contest1
> 
> 
> I have one question about the problem.  Is the cost we are to minimize
> the cost of arriving in the target city at all, or the cost of arriving
> at the target city at the end of the final day of the schedule?
> 
> (If you were traveling to a conference, for example, you'd have a
> specific arrival time, and a cost to stay in the destination city until
> that time.  But, if you were going to sight-see, then you could arrive
> at any time, and begin your itinerary upon arrival.)
> 
> Say I can find a combination of flights that gets me to the target at
> the end of day 3 for 390 units, and a combination that gets me there at
> the end of day 4 for 400.  If you count the hostel cost from day 3 to
> day 4, the first combination costs 410.  So, which is preferred?
> 
> -John
> 
> P.S.  I just realized this may be answered be the test suite, but I'm
> still at the thinking stage.

What we really need is a problem *specification* contest.