time-based point system

[Erik Max Francis]

Jay wrote:

> That function is absolutely no good for this situation.
> 
> 1. Take a small number.
> 5.4348809719085693
> 
> 2. Put it in the function.
> f(5.4348809719085693) = 1/5.4348809719085693
> 
> 3. Get a large number???
> 0.18399666987533483
> 
> That number is even smaller.  I want a large one coming out.

f(x) = 1/x is just one example of a function that has the property of 
being a "negative function" -- the smaller number you put in, the larger 
number you get out, and vice versa.  Your statement didn't clearly 
indicate that the outputs need to be bigger than the inputs, just that 
they need to be bigger the smaller the outputs are.  The more general 
function would be f(x) = A/(x - B).  Choose A and B as desired so that 
f(x) > x for all x you care about.  Or choose another function, like 
f(x) = A - B x or any number of other functions.  There literally are an 
infinite number of possibilities.

The point is, as I've already said, you haven't given nearly enough 
information to give you a useful answer.  You haven't indicated, for 
instance, anything at all about the domain or range of the function that 
you want:  What values do you need to plug in?  What range of values do 
you need to get out?  Once you have clarified to yourself what 
properties you want, that will help you define the function.

At this point you're the only one who knows what properties you want, 
and unless you define them up front, it results in a very unsatisfactory 
guessing game of proposing a function, you telling me what's wrong with 
it, and repeat until either or both of us get bored.

And, by the way, this is a question about mathematics, and so has 
nothing to do specifically with Python.

-- 
Erik Max Francis && max at alcyone.com && http://www.alcyone.com/max/
  San Jose, CA, USA && 37 20 N 121 53 W && AIM, Y!M erikmaxfrancis
   Get married, but never to a man who is home all day.
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