freeCodeCamp/curriculum/challenges/english/10-coding-interview-prep/project-euler/problem-343-fractional-sequ...

---
id: 5900f4c41000cf542c50ffd6
title: 'Problem 343: Fractional Sequences'
challengeType: 5
forumTopicId: 302002
dashedName: problem-343-fractional-sequences
---

# --description--

For any positive integer k, a finite sequence ai of fractions xi/yi is defined by:

a1 = 1/k and

ai = (xi-1+1)/(yi-1-1) reduced to lowest terms for i>1.

When ai reaches some integer n, the sequence stops. (That is, when yi=1.)

Define f(k) = n.

For example, for k = 20:

1/20 → 2/19 → 3/18 = 1/6 → 2/5 → 3/4 → 4/3 → 5/2 → 6/1 = 6

So f(20) = 6.

Also f(1) = 1, f(2) = 2, f(3) = 1 and Σf(k3) = 118937 for 1 ≤ k ≤ 100.

Find Σf(k3) for 1 ≤ k ≤ 2×106.

# --hints--

`euler343()` should return 269533451410884200.

```js
assert.strictEqual(euler343(), 269533451410884200);
```

# --seed--

## --seed-contents--

```js
function euler343() {

  return true;
}

euler343();
```

# --solutions--

```js
// solution required
```
-												feat(challenge-md): Add initial markdown challenge files

											
										
										
											2018-09-30 22:01:58 +00:00
+								---
 								id: 5900f4c41000cf542c50ffd6
 								title: 'Problem 343: Fractional Sequences'
-												Feat: add new Markdown parser (#39800)

and change all the challenges to new `md` format.
											
										
										
											2020-11-27 18:02:05 +00:00
+								challengeType: 5
-												fix(curriculum): Added forumTopicId to remaining 1200 challeng… (#36558)


											
										
										
											2019-08-05 16:17:33 +00:00
+								forumTopicId: 302002
-												feat(curriculum): restore seed + solution to Chinese (#40683)

* feat(tools): add seed/solution restore script

* chore(curriculum): remove empty sections' markers

* chore(curriculum): add seed + solution to Chinese

* chore: remove old formatter

* fix: update getChallenges

parse translated challenges separately, without reference to the source

* chore(curriculum): add dashedName to English

* chore(curriculum): add dashedName to Chinese

* refactor: remove unused challenge property 'name'

* fix: relax dashedName requirement

* fix: stray tag

Remove stray `pre` tag from challenge file.

Signed-off-by: nhcarrigan <nhcarrigan@gmail.com>

Co-authored-by: nhcarrigan <nhcarrigan@gmail.com>
											
										
										
											2021-01-13 02:31:00 +00:00
+								dashedName: problem-343-fractional-sequences
-												feat(challenge-md): Add initial markdown challenge files

											
										
										
											2018-09-30 22:01:58 +00:00
+								---
-												Feat: add new Markdown parser (#39800)

and change all the challenges to new `md` format.
											
										
										
											2020-11-27 18:02:05 +00:00
+								# --description--
-												feat(challenge-md): Add initial markdown challenge files

											
										
										
											2018-09-30 22:01:58 +00:00
+								For any positive integer k, a finite sequence ai of fractions xi/yi is defined by:
-												Feat: add new Markdown parser (#39800)

and change all the challenges to new `md` format.
											
										
										
											2020-11-27 18:02:05 +00:00
-												feat(challenge-md): Add initial markdown challenge files

											
										
										
											2018-09-30 22:01:58 +00:00
+								a1 = 1/k and
-												Feat: add new Markdown parser (#39800)

and change all the challenges to new `md` format.
											
										
										
											2020-11-27 18:02:05 +00:00
-												feat(challenge-md): Add initial markdown challenge files

											
										
										
											2018-09-30 22:01:58 +00:00
+								ai = (xi-1+1)/(yi-1-1) reduced to lowest terms for i>1.
-												Feat: add new Markdown parser (#39800)

and change all the challenges to new `md` format.
											
										
										
											2020-11-27 18:02:05 +00:00
-												feat(challenge-md): Add initial markdown challenge files

											
										
										
											2018-09-30 22:01:58 +00:00
+								When ai reaches some integer n, the sequence stops. (That is, when yi=1.)
-												Feat: add new Markdown parser (#39800)

and change all the challenges to new `md` format.
											
										
										
											2020-11-27 18:02:05 +00:00
+								Define f(k) = n.
-												feat(challenge-md): Add initial markdown challenge files

											
										
										
											2018-09-30 22:01:58 +00:00
-												Feat: add new Markdown parser (#39800)

and change all the challenges to new `md` format.
											
										
										
											2020-11-27 18:02:05 +00:00
+								For example, for k = 20:
-												feat(challenge-md): Add initial markdown challenge files

											
										
										
											2018-09-30 22:01:58 +00:00
 /20 → 2/19 → 3/18 = 1/6 → 2/5 → 3/4 → 4/3 → 5/2 → 6/1 = 6
 								So f(20) = 6.
 								Also f(1) = 1, f(2) = 2, f(3) = 1 and Σf(k3) = 118937 for 1 ≤ k ≤ 100.
 								Find Σf(k3) for 1 ≤ k ≤ 2×106.
-												Feat: add new Markdown parser (#39800)

and change all the challenges to new `md` format.
											
										
										
											2020-11-27 18:02:05 +00:00
+								# --hints--
-												feat(challenge-md): Add initial markdown challenge files

											
										
										
											2018-09-30 22:01:58 +00:00
-												Feat: add new Markdown parser (#39800)

and change all the challenges to new `md` format.
											
										
										
											2020-11-27 18:02:05 +00:00
+								`euler343()` should return 269533451410884200.
-												feat(challenge-md): Add initial markdown challenge files

											
										
										
											2018-09-30 22:01:58 +00:00
-												Feat: add new Markdown parser (#39800)

and change all the challenges to new `md` format.
											
										
										
											2020-11-27 18:02:05 +00:00
+								```js
 								assert.strictEqual(euler343(), 269533451410884200);
-												feat(challenge-md): Add initial markdown challenge files

											
										
										
											2018-09-30 22:01:58 +00:00
+								```
-												Feat: add new Markdown parser (#39800)

and change all the challenges to new `md` format.
											
										
										
											2020-11-27 18:02:05 +00:00
+								# --seed--
-												feat(challenge-md): Add initial markdown challenge files

											
										
										
											2018-09-30 22:01:58 +00:00
-												Feat: add new Markdown parser (#39800)

and change all the challenges to new `md` format.
											
										
										
											2020-11-27 18:02:05 +00:00
+								## --seed-contents--
-												feat(challenge-md): Add initial markdown challenge files

											
										
										
											2018-09-30 22:01:58 +00:00
 								```js
 								function euler343() {
-												fix: remove Good luck! comment from challenge seed code (#39575)


											
										
										
											2020-09-15 16:57:40 +00:00
-												feat(challenge-md): Add initial markdown challenge files

											
										
										
											2018-09-30 22:01:58 +00:00
+								  return true;
 								}
 								euler343();
 								```
-												Feat: add new Markdown parser (#39800)

and change all the challenges to new `md` format.
											
										
										
											2020-11-27 18:02:05 +00:00
+								# --solutions--
-												feat(challenge-md): Add initial markdown challenge files

											
										
										
											2018-09-30 22:01:58 +00:00
 								```js
 								// solution required
 								```