In Dire Need of Help (lots of it)

[Unregistered]

Hi,
I am a very new programmer ( 1 month and counting). I am presented with a problem from a tutorial I recieved online and I have no idea how to even start with it. My only assumption is to use array's, but I am not sure how the function protypes are to work and what not. Also, its just plain complicated! (to me at least)
I will write up what I need done, and if you can, give me tips on how and where to start, and what else I can do. It shouldn't be any more than one page of code. Inside the directions for it, I include the most I could come up with as far as psuedocode for it. (I just threw comments in there basically)

Here is the problem:

Calculate the time it takes a Marathoner to travel the distance traveled (provided below). *Of course you must assume that 8 hours is 1 day of travel*

Have the user enter the following (cin):

(7 individual Marathoners)
Marathoners Name
Running Speed
Distance
Elevation gain/loss

The running speed cannot be less than 1 and not greater than 3 (mph). The running speed should be a floating point number (so that "1.5"s can be presented (ie, decimals (sig figures)))

Somehow, create a function to calculate the marathoners's time traveled. The time (in hours) is: distance/running speed.

Create a function to calculate for elevation gain/loss. For every 1000 feet of elevation gain/loss, add one hour to the running time. (elevation gain/loss, is going up and down a hill in essence)

Output (cout) the result of each marathoner to the screen. The Marathoner's name and the time must be separated by a white space.
Preferably the output should be as follows: "Name Time" (ie, Joe 2days, 4hours). Or at least thats how i see it. If you have an opinion on how to make it better let me know!

Also, how does one go about create a data file?
I would like to create a data file called "distance.txt". using the 'marathoner' problem; The file should contain the following on each line, separated by a white space:
marathoners name, running Speed (MPH), distance to travel (miles), elevation gain/loss (feet).
This one I REALLY have no idea how to start out!

If I could recieve some help, that would be great!

Please email me some of the coding, if you can, and don't feel like typing it up to post or whatever (^_^ )

[email protected]

Signed In desperate need of help ,

THE FU FYTER

Addendum: (Tell me if i'm getting anywhere)

#include <iostream.h>
//Function protype...is this correct?
void runnername_array (int *, int);
void main (void)
{
}

[C_Coder]

I'll tell ya 1 thing

void main (void)

should be

int main( void )

lets see some more code or ideas, nobody here will write it all for you.

[Unregistered]

This is the most code that I've come up with (sorry i was away on vacation).
_______________________________

#include <iostream.h>
//Function Protypes

void main(void)
{
//Declare variables
char hiker_name[12];
float hiker_speed;
float distance;
float elevation;
float travel_time;

//loop so that operation repeats 7x...also the number the names
for (int x =0; x<7; x++)
{
//have user input "name"-truncate at 12 characters
cout<<"Enter Hikers Name(no more than 12 characters):"<<endl;
cin>>hiker_name;

//while the speed is between one and three...
while(hiker_speed>=1 && hiker_speed<=3)
{
cout<<"Enter Hikers Speed (in mph):"<<endl;
//...ask user to enter the hikers speed...
cin>>hiker_speed;//...then allow hiker speed to be stored

//if the speeed is not between 1 and three...then output 'invalid entry'
if(hiker_speed < 1 || hiker_speed > 3)
cout<<"invalid entry"<<endl;
}



//ask the user to input the number of miles traveled (distance)
cout<<"Enter Number Miles Traveled:"<<endl;
cin>>distance;//store to 'distance'

//ask the user to input the elevation gain/loss (in feet)
cout<<"Enter the Elevation Gained or Lost (in feet):"<<endl;
cin>>elevation;//store to "elevation"
}

//perform operation that totals the time traveled using the given input
travel_time=distance/hiker_speed;

//if the elevation is more than one thousand...
if (elevation>=1000)
travel_time=travel_time+1;//...add 1 hour to the travel time

//print out the screen the number (in sequence), the hiker's name, and his/her travel time
cout<<x<<hiker_name<<travel_time<<endl;
}
_______________________

Now my question is (it's changed a bit).
How do I do a double dimensional array to store the seven names...its something like "rows x columns" or something but, i just don't know ::sob::

Also, according to my problem, since one day is equal to 8hours, i need to total it so that It outputs days and hours

ie, "2days, 4hours"

The most I have come up with is to use integer numbers for travel time...someone reccomended using 'type coercioni' to hlep me...but i have no clue what that does(or IS) x_x.

Now for the days and time thing...if i total it in hours then divide it by 8...it will come out with the number of days...now to get the number of left over hours, if I use modulus (%) to divide it with, that would come out with the left over hours correct?

Help would be GREATLY appreciated...thanks a lot (again)

C.Runfrom/axe/murder.cpp

[endo]

Didn't I answer this on the cplusplus forums?

[Unregistered]

i didn't get it...and their message board confuses me...

[Unregistered]

yeah, its not the best forum. Anyway, here is some code to get you on your way. It generates the time taken and the additional time due to elevation.

	float distance = 3001;
	float speed = 3;
	float elevation = -1456;
	float time = 0;
	time = distance/speed;

	int additonalTime = (int)elevation/1000;
	cout << additonalTime;

[Unregistered]

Thanks a lot! (a whole hell of a lot)

the kung fu fyter...