I don't understand problem set 1b. I just don't get the math. This is what I have tried to do, but it doesn't work. Can someone help me understand how I should be thinking about this problem? I've read the solution and I don't really understand how it works.

Question

I don't understand problem set 1b.  I just don't get the math.  This is what I have tried to do, but it doesn't work.  Can someone help me understand how I should be thinking about this problem?  I've read the solution and I don't really understand how it works.

anonymous · Answer

2008 class? 2011 class?
did you watch the lectures?
did you read the readings? - the Tutorial in the Python Documentation? How to think like a computer scientist? did you try out the examples given in the readings?

The math is shown in the problem,. What don't you understand?