Hi all, here’s my solution to the fcc JS project Roman Numeral Converter. My solution looks more similar to Solution 3 in the Guide.
My questions is, are there any advantages/disadvantages of implementing the mapping from numbers to symbols using an object vs using an array? Readability, efficiency, etc. Lastly, do you find my algorithm easy to understand? If not, how could I improve?
Thanks!
function convertToRoman(num) {
//Input validation
if (num < 1 || num >= 4000) {
console.log("Sorry. This program can only handle numbers between 1-3999");
return undefined;
}
//Break num up into thousands, hundreds, tens, and ones
let arr = Array.from(num.toString()), y = arr.length - 1;
arr = arr.map( (x,j) => parseInt(x) * Math.pow(10,y-j) )
.filter( x => x > 0); //Skip digits == 0
//Determine the roman numeral representation for each element in arr
let objarr = [
{ sym: 'I', range: [1, 4] }, // 4 = IV
{ sym: 'V', range: [5, 9] }, // 9 = IX
{ sym: 'X', range: [10, 40] }, // 40 = XL
{ sym: 'L', range: [50, 90] }, // 90 = XC
{ sym: 'C', range: [100, 400] }, // 400 = CD
{ sym: 'D', range: [500, 900] }, // 900 = CM
{ sym: 'M', range: [1000, 3999] }
];
//Notice the geometric sequences in the ranges above
//I'll call them: seq10 = {1,10,100,1000,...} --> 0 and even indices
// seq5 = {5,50,500,...} --> odd indices
//We need this information later to determine the order in which
//roman numerals will be generated
//Comment: A more mathematical approach to identifying which sequence the
//range falls into is the following test: Number.isInteger(log_10(range[0]))
//If true then the object is of type "seq10"
//Convert array to roman numeral symbols
let symarr = arr.map((n, ni) => {
//Find the object with the range that n falls into
let oi = objarr.findIndex(obj => n >= obj.range[0] && n <= obj.range[1]);
let obj = objarr[oi];
//Is n at the end of the range?
if (n === obj.range[1]) { //Current obj is of type "seq5"
return oi % 2 !== 0 ? getSymBefore(oi) + getSymAfter(oi)
:
obj.sym + getSymAfter(oi) //type "seq10"
}
//Otherwise continue
else {
let count;
if (oi % 2 !== 0) { //seq5
count = (n - obj.range[0]) / objarr[oi - 1].range[0]
return obj.sym + getSymBefore(oi).repeat(count)
} else { //seq10
count = n / obj.range[0]
return obj.sym.repeat(count);
}
}
}); //end symarr mapping
//Finally concatenate and return the symbols in the array
return symarr.join('');
//********************
//FUNCTION DEFINITIONS
//********************
function getSymBefore(index) {
return objarr[index - 1].sym;
}
function getSymAfter(index) {
return objarr[index + 1].sym;
}
}
console.log(convertToRoman(1907));
//[1,5,10,50,100,500,1000] => ['I','V','X','L','C','D','M']
//Rules:
//Don't repeat a symbol more than 3 times in a row
//Smaller symbol before larger symbol indicates subtraction
// " " after " " " addition
// 1 <= n <= 4 --> I,II,III,[IV]
// 5 <= n <= 9 --> V,VI,VII,VIII,[IX]
// 10 <= n <= 50 --> X,XI,XII,XIII,XIV,XV,XVI,XVII,XVIII,XIX,
// XX,XXI,XXII,XXIII,XXIV,XXV,XXVI,XXVII,XXVIII,XXIX,
// XXX,...,
// (40) [XL],XLI,XLII,XLIII
// 50 <= n < 100 --> L,LI,LI,LIII,...,
// LX,LXI,LXII, ...,
// LXX,...,
// LXXX,...,
// (90) [XC],...,XCIX
//...and so on
