plz help me..its urgent

[pixcee2000]

pls help me to write a program such that we input an integer x,where x>0. For x, the program has to convert it into the sum of consecutive positive integers. for e.g. let x=10 output should be "10= 1+2+3+4" the total no. of consecutive positive integers in the sum expression should be maximal. for e.g. if x= 9 result should be 2+3+4 and not 4+5. If x=4 , the output should be "no answer"

thanx in advance

[eddiepo]

pixcee,

here's something i came up with. try and check it out if the algorithm/code is ok. as always, there might be other and more efficient ways to solve the problem...

cheers...

eddie

import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;

public class PIXCEE2000 {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        try {
            //we input an integer x,where x>0
            int i = readInt();
            if(i <= 0) {
                System.out.println("Number specified must be greater than zero.");
                return;   
            }
            ArrayList list = sumOfConsecutiveNumbersEqualTo(i);
            System.out.println("Sum of Consecutive numbers that equates to " + i + " is " + 
                (list.isEmpty() ? "[No Answer]" : list));
        } catch(Exception e) {
            e.printStackTrace();   
        }           
    }
    
    public static ArrayList sumOfConsecutiveNumbersEqualTo(int number) {
        int sum = 0;
        boolean mustBreak = false;
        ArrayList numlist = new ArrayList();
        for(int a=1; a<number; a++) {
            for(int i=a; i<number; i++) {                
                sum = sum + i;                
                if(sum > number) {
                    sum = 0;
                    numlist.clear();
                    break;
                } else {
                    numlist.add(new Integer(i));
                    if(sum == number) {
                        mustBreak = true;
                        break;
                    }
                }
            }
            if(mustBreak) {
                break;   
            }
        }
        if(numlist.size() == 1) { //a size of 1 can never be consecutive numbers
            numlist.clear();
        }
        return numlist;        
    }
        
    public static int readInt()  throws Exception {
        int ret = 0;
        BufferedReader buff = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(System.in));
        System.out.print("Enter a Number:");
        String s = buff.readLine();       
        ret = Integer.parseInt(s); 
        // you can do some error handling here[e.g. invalid input entry etc]
        return ret;
    }
}

[Frugoo Scape]

samething =)