C Exercises: Product of four adjacent numbers in a 20x20 grid

C Programming Challenges: Exercise-27 with Solution

In the 20×20 grid below, four numbers along a diagonal line have been marked in red.
08 02 22 97 38 15 00 40 00 75 04 05 07 78 52 12 50 77 91 08
49 49 99 40 17 81 18 57 60 87 17 40 98 43 69 48 04 56 62 00
81 49 31 73 55 79 14 29 93 71 40 67 53 88 30 03 49 13 36 65
52 70 95 23 04 60 11 42 69 24 68 56 01 32 56 71 37 02 36 91
22 31 16 71 51 67 63 89 41 92 36 54 22 40 40 28 66 33 13 80
24 47 32 60 99 03 45 02 44 75 33 53 78 36 84 20 35 17 12 50
32 98 81 28 64 23 67 10 26 38 40 67 59 54 70 66 18 38 64 70
67 26 20 68 02 62 12 20 95 63 94 39 63 08 40 91 66 49 94 21
24 55 58 05 66 73 99 26 97 17 78 78 96 83 14 88 34 89 63 72
21 36 23 09 75 00 76 44 20 45 35 14 00 61 33 97 34 31 33 95
78 17 53 28 22 75 31 67 15 94 03 80 04 62 16 14 09 53 56 92
16 39 05 42 96 35 31 47 55 58 88 24 00 17 54 24 36 29 85 57
86 56 00 48 35 71 89 07 05 44 44 37 44 60 21 58 51 54 17 58
19 80 81 68 05 94 47 69 28 73 92 13 86 52 17 77 04 89 55 40
04 52 08 83 97 35 99 16 07 97 57 32 16 26 26 79 33 27 98 66
88 36 68 87 57 62 20 72 03 46 33 67 46 55 12 32 63 93 53 69
04 42 16 73 38 25 39 11 24 94 72 18 08 46 29 32 40 62 76 36
20 69 36 41 72 30 23 88 34 62 99 69 82 67 59 85 74 04 36 16
20 73 35 29 78 31 90 01 74 31 49 71 48 86 81 16 23 57 05 54
01 70 54 71 83 51 54 69 16 92 33 48 61 43 52 01 89 19 67 48
The product of these numbers is 26 × 63 × 78 × 14 = 1788696.
Write a C program to find the greatest product of four adjacent numbers in the same direction (up, down, left, right, or diagonally) in the 20×20 grid.

C Code:

// (c) 2009, eagletmt  MIT License <http://opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php>
#include <stdio.h>
#define N 20
static __inline unsigned max(unsigned a, unsigned b);

int main(void)
{
  unsigned grid[20][20] = {
    {8,2,22,97,38,15,0,40,0,75,4,5,7,78,52,12,50,77,91,8},
    {49,49,99,40,17,81,18,57,60,87,17,40,98,43,69,48,4,56,62,0},
    {81,49,31,73,55,79,14,29,93,71,40,67,53,88,30,3,49,13,36,65},
    {52,70,95,23,4,60,11,42,69,24,68,56,1,32,56,71,37,2,36,91},
    {22,31,16,71,51,67,63,89,41,92,36,54,22,40,40,28,66,33,13,80},
    {24,47,32,60,99,3,45,2,44,75,33,53,78,36,84,20,35,17,12,50},
    {32,98,81,28,64,23,67,10,26,38,40,67,59,54,70,66,18,38,64,70},
    {67,26,20,68,2,62,12,20,95,63,94,39,63,8,40,91,66,49,94,21},
    {24,55,58,5,66,73,99,26,97,17,78,78,96,83,14,88,34,89,63,72},
    {21,36,23,9,75,0,76,44,20,45,35,14,0,61,33,97,34,31,33,95},
    {78,17,53,28,22,75,31,67,15,94,3,80,4,62,16,14,9,53,56,92},
    {16,39,5,42,96,35,31,47,55,58,88,24,0,17,54,24,36,29,85,57},
    {86,56,0,48,35,71,89,7,5,44,44,37,44,60,21,58,51,54,17,58},
    {19,80,81,68,5,94,47,69,28,73,92,13,86,52,17,77,4,89,55,40},
    {4,52,8,83,97,35,99,16,7,97,57,32,16,26,26,79,33,27,98,66},
    {88,36,68,87,57,62,20,72,3,46,33,67,46,55,12,32,63,93,53,69},
    {4,42,16,73,38,25,39,11,24,94,72,18,8,46,29,32,40,62,76,36},
    {20,69,36,41,72,30,23,88,34,62,99,69,82,67,59,85,74,4,36,16},
    {20,73,35,29,78,31,90,1,74,31,49,71,48,86,81,16,23,57,5,54},
    {1,70,54,71,83,51,54,69,16,92,33,48,61,43,52,1,89,19,67,48},
  };
  unsigned m = 0;
  unsigned i, j;

  for (i = 0; i < N-3; i++) {
    for (j = 0; j < N-3; j++) {
      unsigned h = grid[i][j] * grid[i][j+1] * grid[i][j+2] * grid[i][j+3];
      unsigned v = grid[j][i] * grid[j+1][i] * grid[j+2][i] * grid[j+3][i];
      unsigned d1 = grid[i][j] * grid[i+1][j+1] * grid[i+2][j+2] * grid[i+3][j+3];
      unsigned d2 = grid[i][N-j-1] * grid[i+1][N-j-2] * grid[i+2][N-j-3] * grid[i+3][N-j-4];
      m = max(m, max(h, max(v, max(d1, d2))));
    }
  }
  printf("%u\n", m);

  return 0;
}

unsigned max(unsigned a, unsigned b)
{
  return a > b ? a : b;
}

Sample Output:

70600674

Flowchart:

C Programming Code Editor:

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