Python is awesome (Project Euler)

[Neil Cerutti]

On 2012-12-31, Roy Smith <roy at panix.com> wrote:
> There's a problem I just worked where you need to find the last
> 10 digits of some million-digit prime.  Python's long ints
> don't help you there.  What does help you is figuring out a way
> to solve the problem that's not brute-force.  I think that's
> what Euler is all about.

I agree. The most interesting part of participating is finding
out how my solution could've been improved or just completely
replaced with zero programming in some memorable cases. My
algebra has gotten a major workout, and I've had to resurrect the
mostly-dead neurons in my skull in charge of calculus.

Participants sometimes come up with terrible failures that
nevertheless find the solution (I'm no exception, though I think
I learn my lesson in the discussion groups). It's a limitation of
the way answers are checked. Working to make a solution that's
complete and extensible yields the most educational benefits, I
think.

-- 
Neil Cerutti