unsigned long int giving integer overflow

Question

I am trying to create a program in c to solve sudoku puzzles,in which i am trying to store a number equal to 2 * 3 * 5 * 7 * 11 * 13 * 17 * 19 * 23 * 29 in an unsigned long int variable. on compiling with boath gcc and g++ on a 32 bit Ubuntu machine, i am getting an integer overflow error.

please help me storing and using this number, or suggest an alternative.

i am including the whole code for reference.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

int main() {
    int sudoku[9][9] = {2, 8, 0, 0, 0, 3, 0, 0, 0, // 0 is used to denote blank
                        4, 7, 0, 0, 8, 6, 0, 9, 1, 0, 0, 5, 0, 9, 0, 2, 3, 0,
                        0, 9, 0, 5, 2, 0, 4, 8, 6, 5, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 3,
                        8, 6, 1, 0, 7, 4, 0, 5, 0, 0, 3, 4, 0, 1, 0, 8, 0, 0,
                        7, 5, 0, 8, 3, 0, 0, 2, 4, 0, 0, 0, 6, 0, 0, 0, 7, 9};
    unsigned long int ref[9][9];
    int solved = 0;
    int i, j, k;
    unsigned long int full = 29 * 23 * 19 * 17 * 13 * 11 * 7 * 5 * 3 * 2;
    int key = 0;
    printf("%lu", full);

    for (i = 0; i <= 9; i++) {
        for (j = 0; j <= 9; j++) {
            switch (sudoku[i][j]) {
                case 1:
                    sudoku[i][j] = 2;
                    break;
                case 2:
                    sudoku[i][j] = 3;
                    break;
                case 3:
                    sudoku[i][j] = 5;
                    break;
                case 4:
                    sudoku[i][j] = 7;
                    break;
                case 5:
                    sudoku[i][j] = 11;
                    break;
                case 6:
                    sudoku[i][j] = 13;
                    break;
                case 7:
                    sudoku[i][j] = 17;
                    break;
                case 8:
                    sudoku[i][j] = 19;
                    break;
                case 9:
                    sudoku[i][j] = 23;
                    break;
                case 0:
                    sudoku[i][j] = 29;
                    break;
                default:
                    printf("\n Error in input");
                    break;
            }
        }
    }

    for (i = 0; i < 9; i++) {
        for (j = 0; j < 9; j++) {
            ref[i][j] = 29;
        }
    }

    while (!solved) {
        for (i = 0; i < 9; i++) {
            for (j = 0; j < 9; j++) {
                if (sudoku[i][j] != 29) {
                    for (k = 0; k < 9; k++) {
                        if (k != j) {
                            if (ref[i][k] % sudoku[i][j] != 0 &&
                                sudoku[i][k] == 29) {
                                ref[i][k] = ref[i][k] * sudoku[i][j];
                            }
                        }
                    }

                    for (k = 0; k < 9; k++) {
                        if (k != i) {
                            if (ref[k][j] % sudoku[i][j] != 0 &&
                                sudoku[k][j] == 29) {
                                ref[k][j] = ref[k][j] * sudoku[i][j];
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        }

        for (i = 0; i < 9; i++) {
            for (j = 0; j < 9; j++) {
                if (ref[i][j] == full / 2 && sudoku[i][j] == 29) {
                    sudoku[i][j] = 2;
                }
                if (ref[i][j] == full / 3 && sudoku[i][j] == 31) {
                    sudoku[i][j] = 3;
                }
                if (ref[i][j] == full / 5 && sudoku[i][j] == 31) {
                    sudoku[i][j] = 5;
                }
                if (ref[i][j] == full / 7 && sudoku[i][j] == 31) {
                    sudoku[i][j] = 7;
                }
                if (ref[i][j] == full / 11 && sudoku[i][j] == 31) {
                    sudoku[i][j] = 11;
                }
                if (ref[i][j] == full / 13 && sudoku[i][j] == 31) {
                    sudoku[i][j] = 13;
                }
                if (ref[i][j] == full / 17 && sudoku[i][j] == 31) {
                    sudoku[i][j] = 17;
                }
                if (ref[i][j] == full / 19 && sudoku[i][j] == 31) {
                    sudoku[i][j] = 19;
                }
                if (ref[i][j] == full / 23 && sudoku[i][j] == 31) {
                    sudoku[i][j] = 23;
                }
            }
        }

        for (i = 0; i < 9; i++) {
            for (j = 0; j < 9; j++) {
                if (sudoku[i][j] == 29) {
                    key = 1;
                }
            }
        }

        if (key == 0) {
            for (i = 0; i < 9; i++) {
                for (j = 0; j < 9; j++) {
                    switch (sudoku[i][j]) {
                        case 2:
                            sudoku[i][j] = 1;
                            break;
                        case 3:
                            sudoku[i][j] = 2;
                            break;
                        case 5:
                            sudoku[i][j] = 3;
                            break;
                        case 7:
                            sudoku[i][j] = 4;
                            break;
                        case 11:
                            sudoku[i][j] = 5;
                            break;
                        case 13:
                            sudoku[i][j] = 6;
                            break;
                        case 17:
                            sudoku[i][j] = 7;
                            break;
                        case 19:
                            sudoku[i][j] = 8;
                            break;
                        case 23:
                            sudoku[i][j] = 9;
                            break;
                    }

                    printf("%d  ", sudoku[i][j]);
                }
                printf("\n");
            }
            solved = 1;
        }

        else {
            key = 0;
        }
    }

    return 0;
}

Best to insure unsigned multiplication with `29u*23*...` and go with @Jonatan Goebel, use `unsigned long long`. — chux - Reinstate Monica, Aug 04 '14 at 13:52
Or even `uintmax_t` to nsure the maximum your system can provide. OTOH, the number you mention is `6469693230`, so `uint64_t` should work as well. — glglgl, Aug 04 '14 at 13:53

mafso · Accepted Answer · 2014-08-04T14:03:30.240

6

unsigned long int full=29*23*19*17*13*11*7*5*3*2;

Two problems: First, the arithmetical result of the multiplication (6469693230) takes up 33 bits, and an unsigned long may have only 32. An unsigned long long is guaranteed to have at least 64 bit.

Second, and more important: The type of the RHS is int, which can overflow (the term overflow isn't used for unsigned integers, neither by the C standard nor in gcc messages, it's called wrap-around (or truncation, in gcc warnings), which always has well-defined semantics) and in fact does so on most systems. Use

unsigned long long full = 29ull*23*19*17*13*11*7*5*3*2;

instead.

HTH

A final note: Please don't provide that much code unrelated to your actual problem.

edited Aug 04 '14 at 14:03

answered Aug 04 '14 at 13:56

mafso

5,433
2
19
40

3

+½ for that final note (rounded away from zero) – Jongware Aug 04 '14 at 14:04
Thank you very much for your answer, and more for your suggestion, i will keep that in mind. – Prakhar Thakur Aug 07 '14 at 10:02

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 04 '14 at 13:58

0

you can use a wider type, such as long long, or float

answered Aug 04 '14 at 13:58

4simplicity

31
6

4

Avoid float for integer calculations because it can yield accuracy problems. – Serge Ballesta Aug 04 '14 at 14:10
`float` typically lack precision for 6469693230. C guarantees minimum 6 significant decimal digits. `float xx = 6469693230.0; printf("%.1f\n", xx);` --> "6469693440.0" – chux - Reinstate Monica Aug 04 '14 at 21:20

unsigned long int giving integer overflow

2 Answers2