Look for a certain type of formula...
 

Does a formula exist that can search through a list of numbers and tell you
if any certain combination, whether adding or subtracting numbers in that
list, will provide you with a target number. For instance, say I have a list
of 100 random number and I'm trying to see if any of them, if added or
subtracted with each other, can give me a final value of some other number
that I'm looking for. If you need clarification on what I'm trying to
achieve here, just let me know.

Thanks,

Look for a certain type of formula...
 

If you hold your operation to working with 2 terms at time and consider only
two operators, + and -, you'll have 200,000 possible sums and differences.
If you broaden your effort and allow 3 terms at a time, and allow all +,
allow all -, and then allow either + or -, you're well over a million
possible solutions.

The chances of any integer that you can think of, smaller than a million
being generated in this effort are so darn high, it seems like a futile
effort to me...

"Jimmy" wrote:

Does a formula exist that can search through a list of numbers and tell you
if any certain combination, whether adding or subtracting numbers in that
list, will provide you with a target number. For instance, say I have a list
of 100 random number and I'm trying to see if any of them, if added or
subtracted with each other, can give me a final value of some other number
that I'm looking for. If you need clarification on what I'm trying to
achieve here, just let me know.

Thanks,

Look for a certain type of formula...
 

ConfusedNHouston,

I'm not quite sure I understand what you're saying. I'm not saying that
you're wrong, but could you word it in somewhat simpler terms or perhaps give
an example of why it wouldn't work.

I'm not sure if you're saying that I would get too many solutions or that
the calculation would be too processor intensive.

Let me know.

Thanks,

Jimmy

"ConfusedNHouston" wrote:

If you hold your operation to working with 2 terms at time and consider only
two operators, + and -, you'll have 200,000 possible sums and differences.
If you broaden your effort and allow 3 terms at a time, and allow all +,
allow all -, and then allow either + or -, you're well over a million
possible solutions.

The chances of any integer that you can think of, smaller than a million
being generated in this effort are so darn high, it seems like a futile
effort to me...

"Jimmy" wrote:

Does a formula exist that can search through a list of numbers and tell you
if any certain combination, whether adding or subtracting numbers in that
list, will provide you with a target number. For instance, say I have a list
of 100 random number and I'm trying to see if any of them, if added or
subtracted with each other, can give me a final value of some other number
that I'm looking for. If you need clarification on what I'm trying to
achieve here, just let me know.

Thanks,