In a recent issue, Consumer Reports recommended strong passwords for your accounts on the computer, making them as long as possible.
The longest passwords allowed on most unix based machines is 8 characters; some electronic devices allow only a four digit password
(using the ten Arabic numerals). Repetition of the same character is allowed in passwords but is not advised.
(1) How many different passwords are possible for a password allowing only 4 digits and repetition
(where the four digits must be chosen from 0 to 9)?
(2) Choosing from all 95 ASCII Printable Characters (A through Z, a through z, 0 through 9,
and other symbols like !, @, #, $, %, ^, &, *, etc), how many passwords are possible for
a 4 character password?
(3) Using the same 95 ASCII printable characters in #2, how many different passwords
are possible for an 8 character password?
Solution to the Problem:
(1) 104 or 10,000(2) 954 or 81,450,625
(3) 958 or 6,634,204,312,890,625 (over 6 quadrillion)
Correctly solved by:
| 1. James Alarie | Flint, Michigan |
| 2. Chad Fore | Gate City, Virginia |
| 3. Chase Smith |
Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming |
| 4. Caleb Flake |
Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming |
| 5. Cade Covington |
Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming |
| 6. Trystin Walker |
Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming |
| 7. Jake Snow |
Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming |
| 8. Levi Hanney |
Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming |
| 9. Ethan Salsbury |
Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming |