Fun fact: sum of powers of 2 starting from 2^0 up to 2^n = 2^n-1
It’s probably not fun if it’s not a fact.... But it’s definitely NOT a fact.
The formula for the sum of powers of (2) is \(2^{(n+1)}-1 \text { where (n) is an integer}\)
... now I get the trick (think about it).
OK, I’ve thought about it...
Your formula (2^n – 1) gives the correct number of games played when (n=8), but how does the problem solver find the (8)? ...And after finding it, how does it help in solving the problem?
This is a binary question. There are 256 Players. Each game eliminates one player. How many players must be eliminated until only one remains? Answer: 255. Because 256 – 255 = 1
For this kind of question, the answer is always one less than the number of players.
After thinking about it, I’m nominating your solution for a Fields MeTal. Category: Rube Goldburg solution methods (Overly complex solutions for simple questions).
You’re not likely to win. This is the best one https://web2.0calc.com/questions/help-algebra_116 so far....
GA
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