p1-fox

Download the raw code.

#
# optimal way to multiply a chain of matrices
# the algorithm seeks to always collapse the higher factor
# by canceling it in between the multiplications.
#

my @items = $*IN.get.comb(/\d+/);

exit say "Input must consist of at least two integers." unless @items > 1;

my @matrix = 'A' X~ 1 .. @items-1;

while @matrix > 1
{
    my $i = max { @items[$^a] > @items[$^b] }, 1 .. @items-2;
    @items.splice($i,1);
    @matrix.splice($i-1,2,'('~@matrix[$i-1]~@matrix[$i]~')');
}

say @matrix[0];

Readability

The code goes for a slightly rugged, crammed-together look, not giving its binary operators any (white) space. But some people like it that way. It's also consistent with the code seemingly striving for terseness.

Consistency

I wonder why the @items array deserved a plural but the @matrix only a singular...

Clarity of intent

I'd say the code is very clear. It goes to work, and it does it cleanly.

Hm, I wouldn't have called the list of dimensions @items, though.

Algorithmic efficiency

I guess the fact that this algorithm is linear in time gets shadowed a bit by the fact that the algorithm is flawed.

$ perl6 solutions/p1-fox/code
5 10 2 1
((A1A2)A3)
$ dc
5 10 2** 5 2 1** +p
110
10 2 1** 5 10 1** +p
70

The algorithm goes the greedy route, always eliminating the largest dimension. In doing so, it sometimes misses better solutions.

Idiomatic use of Perl 6

Nice touch with the X~ for concatenating the same string to a list of integers.

I must say I find the exit say idiom charming.

Brevity

Oh yes.