To create an algorithm that helps a school canteen sum up to 12 cedis, we need to define a structure to represent the possible items and their prices. Assuming we have a predefined list of items with their respective prices, the algorithm will generate combinations of these items that sum up to 12 cedis.
Here’s a step-by-step outline of the algorithm:
-
Define Item Prices: Create a list or array containing the prices of various items available in the canteen. For example:
- Item 1: 2 cedis
- Item 2: 3 cedis
- Item 3: 4 cedis
- Item 4: 5 cedis
-
Initialize Variables:
- Define an empty list
results
to store valid combinations. - Define a constant
P
to hold the target sum, which is 12 in this case.
- Define an empty list
-
Define Recursive Function: Create a recursive function to explore combinations of items:
- Parameters: Current combination (list), current sum, and the starting index in the items list.
- Base Case: If the current sum equals 12 (value of P), add the current combination to
results
. - Recursive Case: Loop through the items starting from the current index, adding each item to the current combination and calling the function recursively with the updated sum and index.
-
Call the Function and Display Results: Once the function has completed exploring all combinations, print or display the
results
.
Here is a Python-like pseudocode that implements the above algorithm:
# Define item prices in cedis
item_prices = [2, 3, 4, 5] # For example, the prices of items in the canteen
target_sum = 12 # This is our constant P
# Initialize results to store combinations
results = []
# Function to find combinations that sum up to P
def find_combinations(current_combination, current_sum, start_index):
# Base case: if current sum is equal to the target sum
if current_sum == target_sum:
results.append(current_combination.copy())
return
# If current sum exceeds the target, stop exploring
if current_sum > target_sum:
return
# Recursive case: explore the rest of the items
for i in range(start_index, len(item_prices)):
# Include this item and try to find further combinations
current_combination.append(item_prices[i])
find_combinations(current_combination, current_sum + item_prices[i], i) # allow repeat items
current_combination.pop() # Backtrack
# Start finding combinations
find_combinations([], 0, 0)
# Display the results
print("Combinations that sum up to", target_sum, "cedis are:")
for combination in results:
print(combination)
Explanation:
- The algorithm uses recursion to explore all possible combinations of item prices that sum up to the target sum (12 cedis).
- The use of
start_index
allows the combination to include the same item multiple times (if that is allowed). - Finally, the combinations that meet the criterion are printed.
This structure can be adjusted to fit the specific items and prices of the school canteen.