Base 4 is not impossible, most compact solutions found. Completely incredible, they have 14 digits!!! So strange. If somebody can check, I hope to have not missed easiest solutions in base 4. Including the crazy results on base 4, including the sudoku-like solution 124,983/576 = 216.984 375 all the main numerical results on this decimal question are now in this page: http://cboyer.club.fr/FractionsDigits.htm And an Excel file can be downloaded from this page, including the full list of solutions from 2 to 8 digits, starting by the solution 5/2 = 2.5 (using our classical base 10). David, thanks for your interesting question. Christian. -----Message d'origine----- De : math-fun-bounces+cboyer=club-internet.fr@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:math-fun-bounces+cboyer=club-internet.fr@mailman.xmission.com] De la part de Christian Boyer Envoyé : lundi 25 septembre 2006 21:57 À : 'math-fun' Objet : RE: [math-fun] Decimal question You know that the most compact solution in base 10 is: 5/2 = 2.5 But in other bases? I have now the most compact solutions of all (non-prime) bases <= 16. For example, in base 6, the most compact solution is: 35/4 = 5.43 Hmmm... difficult to read with our "decimal eyes"... The same irreducible fraction written in base 10: 23/4 = 5.75 In fact, only ONE exception: in the small base 4, I have not yet found any solution. Is the problem impossible in base 4, for an unknown reason????? Christian. _______________________________________________ math-fun mailing list math-fun@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/math-fun