Problem 2126. Split bread like the Pharaohs - Egyptian fractions and greedy algorithm

Created by Muthu Annamalai

Solve Later

{"parts":[{"partUri":"/matlab/document.xml","contentType":"application/vnd.mathworks.matlab.code.document+xml","content":"<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?><w:document xmlns:w=\"http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/wordprocessingml/2006/main\"><w:body><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"text\"/><w:jc w:val=\"left\"/></w:pPr><w:r><w:t>How would you split 5 loaves of bread among 8 people in all fairness? Get a hint from the Pharaohs. 5/8 = 4/8 + 1/8 , i.e. each receives 1/2 of loaf plus 1/8 - splitting 4 loaves into 1/2 and then the last loaf into 8 pieces.</w:t></w:r></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"text\"/><w:jc w:val=\"left\"/></w:pPr><w:r><w:t>Egyptian fraction is writing any rational number p/q in terms of unity fractions;</w:t></w:r></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"code\"/></w:pPr><w:r><w:t><![CDATA[e.g.  \n\n        3/4 = 1/2 + 1/4, OR \n            = 1/3 + 1/4 + 1/6\n\n      13/48 = 1/4 + 1/48]]></w:t></w:r></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"text\"/><w:jc w:val=\"left\"/></w:pPr><w:r><w:t>Write a program to return the Egyptian fraction of a given rational number p, q. You outputs in the above cases should be the series of denominator values,</w:t></w:r></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"code\"/></w:pPr><w:r><w:t><![CDATA[    i.e.   egyptian_fraction( 13, 48) should return [4,48],]]></w:t></w:r></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"text\"/><w:jc w:val=\"left\"/></w:pPr><w:r><w:t>You can use simple greedy algorithm or alternatives.</w:t></w:r></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"text\"/><w:jc w:val=\"left\"/></w:pPr><w:r><w:rPr><w:b/></w:rPr><w:t>References</w:t></w:r></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"ListParagraph\"/><w:numPr><w:numId w:val=\"2\"/></w:numPr><w:jc w:val=\"left\"/></w:pPr><w:hyperlink w:docLocation=\"\"><w:r><w:t>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_fraction</w:t></w:r></w:hyperlink></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"ListParagraph\"/><w:numPr><w:numId w:val=\"2\"/></w:numPr><w:jc w:val=\"left\"/></w:pPr><w:r><w:t>AMS blog post by Tyler Clark (@tylermath12)</w:t></w:r><w:r><w:t> </w:t></w:r><w:hyperlink w:docLocation=\"\"><w:r><w:t>http://blogs.ams.org/jmm2014/2014/01/17/friday-morning-math-fun/</w:t></w:r></w:hyperlink></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"ListParagraph\"/><w:numPr><w:numId w:val=\"2\"/></w:numPr><w:jc w:val=\"left\"/></w:pPr><w:r><w:t>Bonus points if you can enumerate all possible Egyptian fractions of (p,q), but thats a problem for another day.</w:t></w:r></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"text\"/><w:jc w:val=\"left\"/></w:pPr><w:r><w:t>P.S: Updated test suite to check for proper solutions only</w:t></w:r></w:p></w:body></w:document>","relationship":null}],"relationships":[{"relationshipType":"http://schemas.mathworks.com/matlab/code/2013/relationships/document","target":"/matlab/document.xml","relationshipId":"rId1"}]}

<div style = "text-align: start; line-height: 20.4333px; min-height: 0px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Menlo, Monaco, Consolas, monospace; font-style: normal; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: rgb(0, 0, 0); white-space: normal; "><div style="block-size: 460.333px; display: block; min-width: 0px; padding-block-start: 0px; padding-top: 0px; perspective-origin: 407px 230.167px; transform-origin: 407px 230.167px; vertical-align: baseline; "><div style="block-size: 42px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; margin-block-end: 9px; margin-block-start: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-inline-end: 10px; margin-inline-start: 4px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 2px; perspective-origin: 384px 21px; text-align: left; transform-origin: 384px 21px; white-space: pre-wrap; margin-left: 4px; margin-top: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-right: 10px; "><span style="block-size: auto; display: inline; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; perspective-origin: 379.5px 8px; transform-origin: 379.5px 8px; unicode-bidi: normal; "><span style="">How would you split 5 loaves of bread among 8 people in all fairness? Get a hint from the Pharaohs. 5/8 = 4/8 + 1/8 , i.e. each receives 1/2 of loaf plus 1/8 - splitting 4 loaves into 1/2 and then the last loaf into 8 pieces.</span></span></div><div style="block-size: 21px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; margin-block-end: 9px; margin-block-start: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-inline-end: 10px; margin-inline-start: 4px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 2px; perspective-origin: 384px 10.5px; text-align: left; transform-origin: 384px 10.5px; white-space: pre-wrap; margin-left: 4px; margin-top: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-right: 10px; "><span style="block-size: auto; display: inline; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; perspective-origin: 242px 8px; transform-origin: 242px 8px; unicode-bidi: normal; "><span style="">Egyptian fraction is writing any rational number p/q in terms of unity fractions;</span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(247, 247, 247); block-size: 122.6px; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-end-end-radius: 4px; border-end-start-radius: 4px; border-start-end-radius: 4px; border-start-start-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; margin-block-end: 10px; margin-block-start: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-inline-end: 3px; margin-inline-start: 3px; margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px; margin-top: 10px; perspective-origin: 404px 61.3px; transform-origin: 404px 61.3px; margin-left: 3px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 3px; "><div style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); block-size: 20.4333px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-end-end-radius: 0px; border-end-start-radius: 0px; border-inline-end-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-end-style: solid; border-inline-end-width: 1px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-start-style: solid; border-inline-start-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-start-end-radius: 0px; border-start-start-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-block-size: 18px; min-height: 18px; padding-inline-start: 4px; padding-left: 4px; perspective-origin: 404px 10.2167px; transform-origin: 404px 10.2167px; white-space: nowrap; "><span style="block-size: auto; border-inline-end-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-end-style: none; border-inline-end-width: 0px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-start-style: none; border-inline-start-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-inline-end: 45px; margin-right: 45px; min-block-size: 0px; min-height: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0px; padding-left: 0px; perspective-origin: 24px 8.5px; tab-size: 4; transform-origin: 24px 8.5px; unicode-bidi: normal; white-space: pre; margin-right: 45px; "><span style="margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-right: 0px; ">e.g.  </span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); block-size: 20.4333px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-end-end-radius: 0px; border-end-start-radius: 0px; border-inline-end-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-end-style: solid; border-inline-end-width: 1px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-start-style: solid; border-inline-start-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-start-end-radius: 0px; border-start-start-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-block-size: 18px; min-height: 18px; padding-inline-start: 4px; padding-left: 4px; perspective-origin: 404px 10.2167px; transform-origin: 404px 10.2167px; white-space: nowrap; "><span style="block-size: auto; border-inline-end-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-end-style: none; border-inline-end-width: 0px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-start-style: none; border-inline-start-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-inline-end: 45px; margin-right: 45px; min-block-size: 0px; min-height: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0px; padding-left: 0px; perspective-origin: 0px 8.5px; tab-size: 4; transform-origin: 0px 8.5px; unicode-bidi: normal; white-space: pre; margin-right: 45px; "><span style="margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-right: 0px; "></span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); block-size: 20.4333px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-end-end-radius: 0px; border-end-start-radius: 0px; border-inline-end-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-end-style: solid; border-inline-end-width: 1px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-start-style: solid; border-inline-start-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-start-end-radius: 0px; border-start-start-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-block-size: 18px; min-height: 18px; padding-inline-start: 4px; padding-left: 4px; perspective-origin: 404px 10.2167px; transform-origin: 404px 10.2167px; white-space: nowrap; "><span style="block-size: auto; border-inline-end-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-end-style: none; border-inline-end-width: 0px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-start-style: none; border-inline-start-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-inline-end: 45px; margin-right: 45px; min-block-size: 0px; min-height: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0px; padding-left: 0px; perspective-origin: 112px 8.5px; tab-size: 4; transform-origin: 112px 8.5px; unicode-bidi: normal; white-space: pre; margin-right: 45px; "><span style="margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-right: 0px; ">        3/4 = 1/2 + 1/4, OR </span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); block-size: 20.4333px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-end-end-radius: 0px; border-end-start-radius: 0px; border-inline-end-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-end-style: solid; border-inline-end-width: 1px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-start-style: solid; border-inline-start-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-start-end-radius: 0px; border-start-start-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-block-size: 18px; min-height: 18px; padding-inline-start: 4px; padding-left: 4px; perspective-origin: 404px 10.2167px; transform-origin: 404px 10.2167px; white-space: nowrap; "><span style="block-size: auto; border-inline-end-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-end-style: none; border-inline-end-width: 0px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-start-style: none; border-inline-start-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-inline-end: 45px; margin-right: 45px; min-block-size: 0px; min-height: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0px; padding-left: 0px; perspective-origin: 116px 8.5px; tab-size: 4; transform-origin: 116px 8.5px; unicode-bidi: normal; white-space: pre; margin-right: 45px; "><span style="margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-right: 0px; ">            = 1/3 + 1/4 + 1/6</span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); block-size: 20.4333px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-end-end-radius: 0px; border-end-start-radius: 0px; border-inline-end-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-end-style: solid; border-inline-end-width: 1px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-start-style: solid; border-inline-start-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-start-end-radius: 0px; border-start-start-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-block-size: 18px; min-height: 18px; padding-inline-start: 4px; padding-left: 4px; perspective-origin: 404px 10.2167px; transform-origin: 404px 10.2167px; white-space: nowrap; "><span style="block-size: auto; border-inline-end-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-end-style: none; border-inline-end-width: 0px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-start-style: none; border-inline-start-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-inline-end: 45px; margin-right: 45px; min-block-size: 0px; min-height: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0px; padding-left: 0px; perspective-origin: 0px 8.5px; tab-size: 4; transform-origin: 0px 8.5px; unicode-bidi: normal; white-space: pre; margin-right: 45px; "><span style="margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-right: 0px; "></span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); block-size: 20.4333px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-end-end-radius: 0px; border-end-start-radius: 0px; border-inline-end-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-end-style: solid; border-inline-end-width: 1px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-start-style: solid; border-inline-start-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-start-end-radius: 0px; border-start-start-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-block-size: 18px; min-height: 18px; padding-inline-start: 4px; padding-left: 4px; perspective-origin: 404px 10.2167px; transform-origin: 404px 10.2167px; white-space: nowrap; "><span style="block-size: auto; border-inline-end-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-end-style: none; border-inline-end-width: 0px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-start-style: none; border-inline-start-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-inline-end: 45px; margin-right: 45px; min-block-size: 0px; min-height: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0px; padding-left: 0px; perspective-origin: 96px 8.5px; tab-size: 4; transform-origin: 96px 8.5px; unicode-bidi: normal; white-space: pre; margin-right: 45px; "><span style="margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-right: 0px; ">      13/48 = 1/4 + 1/48</span></span></div></div><div style="block-size: 42px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; margin-block-end: 9px; margin-block-start: 10px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-inline-end: 10px; margin-inline-start: 4px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 10px; perspective-origin: 384px 21px; text-align: left; transform-origin: 384px 21px; white-space: pre-wrap; margin-left: 4px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-right: 10px; "><span style="block-size: auto; display: inline; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; perspective-origin: 383.5px 8px; transform-origin: 383.5px 8px; unicode-bidi: normal; "><span style="">Write a program to return the Egyptian fraction of a given rational number p, q. You outputs in the above cases should be the series of denominator values,</span></span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(247, 247, 247); block-size: 20.4333px; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-end-end-radius: 4px; border-end-start-radius: 4px; border-start-end-radius: 4px; border-start-start-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; margin-block-end: 10px; margin-block-start: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-inline-end: 3px; margin-inline-start: 3px; margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px; margin-top: 10px; perspective-origin: 404px 10.2167px; transform-origin: 404px 10.2167px; margin-left: 3px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-right: 3px; "><div style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-end-end-radius: 0px; border-end-start-radius: 0px; border-inline-end-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-end-style: solid; border-inline-end-width: 1px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-inline-start-style: solid; border-inline-start-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(233, 233, 233); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-start-end-radius: 0px; border-start-start-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-block-size: 18px; min-height: 18px; padding-inline-start: 4px; padding-left: 4px; white-space: nowrap; "><span style="block-size: auto; border-inline-end-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-end-style: none; border-inline-end-width: 0px; border-inline-start-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-inline-start-style: none; border-inline-start-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-inline-end: 45px; margin-right: 45px; min-block-size: 0px; min-height: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0px; padding-left: 0px; perspective-origin: 236px 8.5px; tab-size: 4; transform-origin: 236px 8.5px; unicode-bidi: normal; white-space: pre; margin-right: 45px; "><span style="margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-right: 0px; perspective-origin: 180px 8.5px; transform-origin: 180px 8.5px; ">    i.e.   egyptian_fraction( 13, 48) should </span><span style="border-block-end-color: rgb(170, 4, 249); border-block-start-color: rgb(170, 4, 249); border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 4, 249); border-inline-end-color: rgb(170, 4, 249); border-inline-start-color: rgb(170, 4, 249); border-left-color: rgb(170, 4, 249); border-right-color: rgb(170, 4, 249); border-top-color: rgb(170, 4, 249); caret-color: rgb(170, 4, 249); color: rgb(170, 4, 249); column-rule-color: rgb(170, 4, 249); margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-right: 0px; outline-color: rgb(170, 4, 249); perspective-origin: 52px 8.5px; text-decoration-color: rgb(170, 4, 249); text-emphasis-color: rgb(170, 4, 249); transform-origin: 52px 8.5px; ">return [4,48]</span><span style="margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-right: 0px; perspective-origin: 4px 8.5px; transform-origin: 4px 8.5px; ">,</span></span></div></div><div style="block-size: 21px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; margin-block-end: 9px; margin-block-start: 10px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-inline-end: 10px; margin-inline-start: 4px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 10px; perspective-origin: 384px 10.5px; text-align: left; transform-origin: 384px 10.5px; white-space: pre-wrap; margin-left: 4px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-right: 10px; "><span style="block-size: auto; display: inline; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; perspective-origin: 165px 8px; transform-origin: 165px 8px; unicode-bidi: normal; "><span style="">You can use simple greedy algorithm or alternatives.</span></span></div><div style="block-size: 21px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; margin-block-end: 9px; margin-block-start: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-inline-end: 10px; margin-inline-start: 4px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 2px; perspective-origin: 384px 10.5px; text-align: left; transform-origin: 384px 10.5px; white-space: pre-wrap; margin-left: 4px; margin-top: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-right: 10px; "><span style="block-size: auto; display: inline; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; perspective-origin: 41px 8px; transform-origin: 41px 8px; unicode-bidi: normal; "><span style="font-weight: 700; ">References</span></span></div><ol style="block-size: 61.3px; counter-reset: list-item 0; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; list-style-type: decimal; margin-block-end: 20px; margin-block-start: 10px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 10px; perspective-origin: 391px 30.65px; transform-origin: 391px 30.65px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 20px; "><li style="block-size: 20.4333px; counter-reset: none; display: list-item; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-start: 56px; margin-left: 56px; margin-top: 0px; perspective-origin: 363px 10.2167px; text-align: left; transform-origin: 363px 10.2167px; white-space: pre-wrap; margin-left: 56px; "><a target='_blank' href = "/#null"><span style=""><span style="">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_fraction</span></span></a></li><li style="block-size: 20.4333px; counter-reset: none; display: list-item; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-start: 56px; margin-left: 56px; margin-top: 0px; perspective-origin: 363px 10.2167px; text-align: left; transform-origin: 363px 10.2167px; white-space: pre-wrap; margin-left: 56px; "><span style="block-size: auto; display: inline; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; perspective-origin: 142px 8px; transform-origin: 142px 8px; unicode-bidi: normal; "><span style="">AMS blog post by Tyler Clark (@tylermath12)</span></span><span style="block-size: auto; display: inline; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; perspective-origin: 2px 8px; transform-origin: 2px 8px; unicode-bidi: normal; "><span style=""> </span></span><a target='_blank' href = "/#null"><span style=""><span style="">http://blogs.ams.org/jmm2014/2014/01/17/friday-morning-math-fun/</span></span></a></li><li style="block-size: 20.4333px; counter-reset: none; display: list-item; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-start: 56px; margin-left: 56px; margin-top: 0px; perspective-origin: 363px 10.2167px; text-align: left; transform-origin: 363px 10.2167px; white-space: pre-wrap; margin-left: 56px; "><span style="block-size: auto; display: inline; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; perspective-origin: 347px 8px; transform-origin: 347px 8px; unicode-bidi: normal; "><span style="">Bonus points if you can enumerate all possible Egyptian fractions of (p,q), but thats a problem for another day.</span></span></li></ol><div style="block-size: 21px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; margin-block-end: 9px; margin-block-start: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-inline-end: 10px; margin-inline-start: 4px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 2px; perspective-origin: 384px 10.5px; text-align: left; transform-origin: 384px 10.5px; white-space: pre-wrap; margin-left: 4px; margin-top: 2px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-right: 10px; "><span style="block-size: auto; display: inline; margin-block-end: 0px; margin-block-start: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-inline-end: 0px; margin-inline-start: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; perspective-origin: 178px 8px; transform-origin: 178px 8px; unicode-bidi: normal; "><span style="">P.S: Updated test suite to check for proper solutions only</span></span></div></div></div>

How would you split 5 loaves of bread among 8 people in all fairness? Get a hint from the Pharaohs. 5/8 = 4/8 + 1/8 , i.e. each receives 1/2 of loaf plus 1/8 - splitting 4 loaves into 1/2 and then the last loaf into 8 pieces.
Egyptian fraction is writing any rational number p/q in terms of unity fractions;
e.g.

3/4 = 1/2 + 1/4, OR 
            = 1/3 + 1/4 + 1/6

13/48 = 1/4 + 1/48
Write a program to return the Egyptian fraction of a given rational number p, q. You outputs in the above cases should be the series of denominator values,
    i.e.   egyptian_fraction( 13, 48) should return [4,48],
You can use simple greedy algorithm or alternatives.
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_fraction
AMS blog post by Tyler Clark (@tylermath12) http://blogs.ams.org/jmm2014/2014/01/17/friday-morning-math-fun/
Bonus points if you can enumerate all possible Egyptian fractions of (p,q), but thats a problem for another day.
P.S: Updated test suite to check for proper solutions only

Solve

Solution Stats

227 Solutions
63 Solvers

Last Solution submitted on Aug 23, 2023

Last 200 Solutions

Problem Comments

4 Comments

4 Comments

Show 1 older comment

J.R.! Menzinger on 4 Feb 2014

Try to use "unique(floor(..." in the test cases. Isn't it Alfonso?? ;-)

David Verrelli on 26 Apr 2018

This problem is quite well constructed and described. However, per the WP article linked to, it is important to specify two additional requirements: 〔1〕 Denominators must be positive. This is not explicitly mentioned in the Problem Statement [although perhaps it's implied], and moreover it's not checked in the Test Suite. That means 3/4 = 1/(1) + 1/(-4) would be erroneously accepted. 〔2〕 Each of the denominators must be different/unique. That is enforced in the Test Suite, but there's no mention of it in the Problem Statement. —DIV

Jean-Marie Sainthillier on 16 Jul 2018

Can't submit a solution to this problem (temporary unavailability of MATLAB Service).

Dyuman Joshi on 29 Mar 2023

The test suite has been updated to include more robust checks on solutions and solutions have been rescored.

Solution Comments

Show comments

Problem Recent Solvers63

Problem Tags

Community Treasure Hunt

Find the treasures in MATLAB Central and discover how the community can help you!

Start Hunting!

Problem 2126. Split bread like the Pharaohs - Egyptian fractions and greedy algorithm

Solution Stats

Last 200 Solutions

Problem Comments

Solution Comments

Problem Recent Solvers63

Suggested Problems

More from this Author10

Problem Tags

Community Treasure Hunt

Problem 2126. Split bread like the Pharaohs - Egyptian fractions and greedy algorithm

Solution Stats

Last 200 Solutions

Problem Comments

Solution Comments

Problem Recent Solvers63

Suggested Problems

More from this Author10

Problem Tags

Community Treasure Hunt

Players