Best way to determine if number is triangular number?

8 次查看(过去 30 天)
Hello,
I would like to test if an integer is a triangular number, and am wondering what the best way to achieve this is. I am aware that a triangular number is given by
x = n(n+1)/2
And that x is triangular if and only if 8x + 1 is a square.
However, what is the best way to actually test this in Matlab, giving consideration to floating point arithmetic?
I can think of methods like:
check x is an integer find if sqrt(8x + 1) is an integer to some floating point error
but there must be better ways.
  2 个评论
John D'Errico
John D'Errico 2012-9-6
Note that as long as 8x+1 is no more than 2^53-1, the simple test for a perfect square will be valid. And larger than that you cannot represent x exactly anyway as a double.
Richard Crozier
Richard Crozier 2012-9-6
I will only need this for relatively small numbers, it's actually a test of some user input. Useful to bear in mind though, thanks.

请先登录,再进行评论。

采纳的回答

Matt Fig
Matt Fig 2012-9-6
istri = @(x) floor(sqrt(8*x+1))==sqrt(8*x+1);
x = 1:20;
idx = istri(x)
x(idx)

更多回答(2 个)

Azzi Abdelmalek
Azzi Abdelmalek 2012-9-6
编辑:Azzi Abdelmalek 2012-9-6
k=0
for n=1:100 %for example
x = n*(n+1)/2;
y=sqrt(8*x+1);
if round(y)==y
k=k+1;
result(k)=x
end
end
n=size(result) % you will obtain n=100, which verify the formula
or
n=1:100 %for example
x = n.*(n+1)/2;y=sqrt(8*x+1)
all(y==round(y)) % if the result is 1, the formula is checked

Sean de Wolski
Sean de Wolski 2012-9-6
  2 个评论
Richard Crozier
Richard Crozier 2012-9-6
This suggestion is fine, except that I can't actually see the solutions.
Sean de Wolski
Sean de Wolski 2012-9-6
Sure you can! You just have to get addicted to it and solve a bunch of other problems first!

请先登录,再进行评论。

类别

Help CenterFile Exchange 中查找有关 Software Development Tools 的更多信息

Community Treasure Hunt

Find the treasures in MATLAB Central and discover how the community can help you!

Start Hunting!

Translated by