The answer is finding the least amount of change that allows you to match most combinations possible.

You'll need 4 pennies so you can fill the gap between nickels.
Adding in 2 nickels and 1 dime lets you cover all values from 1-24.
It follows that adding in 3 quarters would then cover all values from 1-99
So the following combination is the least amount of change you should carry:

4 pennies
2 nickels
1 dime
3 quarters

Since the distribution of purchase costs are random in this scenario, it follows that on average, half of your coins will be used (or at least close to that).

Actually, this would be the solution if you wanted to minimize the amount of change you received. But this isn't the solution to this particular problem. Using the solution presented above coupled with the fact that the cashier will always present the least amount of change, that means you will receive on average 5 coins. Knowing this means that you also know the probability of receiving a particular coin.

pennies: 40%
nickels: 20%
dime: 10%
quarters: 30%

So you want to select 5 coins with the highest probability.
In that case, you would select 4 pennies and 1 quarter.

AxePaint



http://www.omnimaga.org/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=630

AxePaint is a  sprite editor capable of editing 8x8 and 16x16 sprites in both 3 and 4 level grayscale. In addition, sprites can be exported as HEX directly to the Str1 variable for easy use in other applications. AxePaint uses an intuitive GUI so you don't have to memorize hotkeys. Writen in the Axe programming language, AxePaint benefits from the speed this language has to offer.

*UPDATE* There are now 4 methods to export the sprite to HEX.

Attached is a simple multi-cycle data path used in one of my classes.
One image shows the data path without pipelining, the other with.

The LC-2K is an 8-register, 32-bit computer.  All addresses are
word-addresses.  The LC-2K has 65536 words of memory.  By assembly-language
convention, register 0 will always contain 0 (i.e. the machine will not enforce
this, but no assembly-language program should ever change register 0 from its
initial value of 0).

There are 4 instruction formats (bit 0 is the least-significant bit).  Bits
31-25 are unused for all instructions, and should always be 0.

R-type instructions (add, nand):
    bits 24-22: opcode
    bits 21-19: reg A
    bits 18-16: reg B
    bits 15-3:  unused (should all be 0)
    bits 2-0:   destReg

I-type instructions (lw, sw, beq):
    bits 24-22: opcode
    bits 21-19: reg A
    bits 18-16: reg B
    bits 15-0:  offsetField (a 16-bit, 2's complement number with a range of
                    -32768 to 32767)

J-type instructions (jalr):
    bits 24-22: opcode
    bits 21-19: reg A
    bits 18-16: reg B
    bits 15-0:  unused (should all be 0)

O-type instructions (halt, noop):
    bits 24-22: opcode
    bits 21-0:  unused (should all be 0)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 1: Description of Machine Instructions
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assembly language       Opcode in binary                Action
name for instruction    (bits 24, 23, 22)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
add (R-type format)     000           Add contents of regA with
                                                contents of regB, store
                                                results in destReg.

nand (R-type format)    001           Nand contents of regA with
                                                contents of regB, store
                                                results in destReg.  This is
                                                a bitwise nand; each bit is
                                                treated independently.

lw (I-type format)      010             Load regB from memory. Memory
                                                address is formed by adding
                                                offsetField with the contents
                                                of regA.

sw (I-type format)      011            Store regB into memory. Memory
                                                address is formed by adding
                                                offsetField with the contents
                                                of regA.

beq (I-type format)     100            If the contents of regA
                                                and regB are the same,
                                                then branch to the address
                                                PC+1+offsetField,
                                                where PC is the address
                                                of the beq instruction.

jalr (J-type format)    101              First store PC+1 into regB,
                                                where PC is the address of the
                                                jalr instruction.  Then branch
                                                to the address now contained in
                                                regA.  Note that this implies
                                                if regA is the same as regB,
                                                the processor will first store
                                                PC+1 into that register, then
                                                end up branching to PC+1.
                                                In other words, FIRST the value
                                                of PC+1 gets stored into regB,
                                                then SECOND, the execution
                                                jumps to the address in regA.
                                                That means that if the two
                                                registers specified are the
                                                same, then it will first put
                                                PC+1 into the register, and
                                                then jump to the value in that
                                                register.  The net effect will
                                                be jumping to PC+1.

halt (O-type format)    110            Increment the PC (as with all
                                                instructions), then halt the
                                                machine (let the simulator
                                                notice that the machine
                                                halted).

noop (O-type format)    111           Do nothing.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If anyone wants to actually create something, this a good example to start with.

Since FinaleTI has already stolen NGE, I'll have to steal all the rest

Notice the similarity of this one with the TTGL OP (Hence the video).

You left out Chrono Trigger.  :'(
Chrono Trigger is probably the best RPG I've ever played. The graphics and music are beautiful, especially considering it was a SNES game, it had a gripping story and fantastic characters.

hell yea, CT is one of the best.

I would also like to add Wipeout XL, a wonderful futuristic racing game
and the Metal Gear Solid series, "just a box"

EDIT: btw, the soundtrack to Wipeout XL is one of the best to ever be included in a video game. Featuring artists such as: The Chemical Brothers, Photek, The Prodigy, The Future Sound of London, Underworld, and Daft Punk!

The interface of Ableton Live is completely different than Acid Pro.

One of the reasons I used Acid Pro was because its interface was mostly intuitive. I say mostly because when it came to more advanced things such as automation, the interface was obstructive, or should I say the lack there of.

The switch to Ableton Live was a bit confusing at first, as is any new digital audio workstation. I first I was thinking: "is this all there is?". The interface was almost too simple to the point that it seemed like I was overlooking something important. Ableton has two "windows". The arrangement and session windows. Everything else sort of surrounds these two windows. Splitting up the workstation into two parts was a very good move on the designer's part. It makes working with Ableton very streamlined. You get access to only the things you need for the particular task you're working on, which makes sense. Why clutter the screen with utilities/controls that are unused while arranging the tracks. This is what separates Ableton from most DAW out there.

Here is a demo of a new song I'm working on.

SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/nitacku/i-didnt-say-stop-demo-wav
Link 1 (direct): http://tinyurl.com/4l534zl
Link 2 (mediafire): http://www.mediafire.com/?dxbh72ey46oiwx5

Title: i didn't say stop...
Genre: Electronic
Artist: nitacku

Listen. Comment. Enjoy!


ps admins: soundcloud button for the forums would be cool
maybe this would work? http://blog.soundcloud.com/2009/07/28/soundcloud-player-in-forums-5-step-guide-for-soundcloud-bb-code/

AxePaint has been updated!
There are now 4 methods to export the sprite has HEX.

• top buffr:   Only the top buffer will be exported.
     
• btm buff:   Only the bottom buffer will be exported.
     
• all buffr:    Both top and bottom buffers will be exported.
                 Formatted as: [Top Buffer][Bottom Buffer]
     
• 8x8 pack:   Identical to "all buffr" will the addition
                 that the HEX will be split into 8x8 parts.
     

If you have a feature request, let me know.