1. influence or authority held by one group that is exerted upon another group
2. the dominance or leadership of one social group or nation over others
_________
The word hegemony has appeared in 57 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on March 23 in “The Beauty of 78.5 Million Followers” by Vanessa Grigoriadis:
The primary innovations, now, are less technological than cultural. And many of these changes are far overdue. The beauty industry has long exhibited devotion in its advertisements to what was once seen as the blond, blue-eyed American ideal, with the occasional woman of color thrown in (Eva Longoria). Fracturing this hegemony required someone extraordinary from outside the system to exert pressure on gatekeepers, and by that I mean Rihanna.
In 2017, when Rihanna and LVMH started the makeup line Fenty (Rihanna’s surname), she pushed the concept of creating foundations that actually matched the color of your skin. This was something beauty conglomerates had the practical capacity to do for decades but often didn’t, choosing instead to make women like me, with dark olive skin, paint from the same palette as Caucasians from Northern Europe …
Daily Word Challenge
Can you correctly use the word hegemony in a sentence?
Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.
Then, read some of the other sentences students have submitted and use the “Recommend” button to vote for two original sentences that stand out to you.
If you want a better idea of how hegemony can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com.
Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.
Use your imagination to write the opening of a short story or poem inspired by this illustration — or, tell us about a memory from your own life that this image makes you think of.
Post it in the comments, then read the related article to learn more.
Want more Picture Prompts? Find them all in this column.
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.
If you celebrate Thanksgiving, what will you be doing this year? How do your plans compare with what you did last year? How do they compare with Thanksgivings before the pandemic in general? Are you looking forward to getting together with family and friends?
Below are excerpts from two Opinion essays that deal with different aspects of the holiday.
The good news is that it’s possible to navigate this year’s unique holiday conflicts gracefully. Doing so requires understanding what’s really driving family tension this year, both political and personal. In many cases, according to psychologists, those classic fights about politics or where to spend Christmas are really about something much deeper, especially in 2021: a yearning for love, connection and, above all, belonging.
Psychologists have been studying belonging for decades. In a seminal paper published in 1995, the social psychologists Roy Baumeister and Mark Leary argued that human beings have a powerful need to belong that largely stems from our evolutionary origins.
People feel a sense of belonging, according to Dr. Baumeister and Dr. Leary, when they have frequent positive interactions with others that are based on mutual care. With true belonging, you are valued for who you are intrinsically, and you value the other person in turn.
During the holidays, the yearning for belonging is supercharged. Jeanne Safer, a psychoanalyst in New York who specializes in family conflict, told me that many of her patients romanticize the holidays. They have a fantasy about what family life should be at this time of year — loving, happy, accepting and warm. When loved ones gather, they desperately want the fantasy to play out, hoping that old childhood wounds and unresolved issues will be healed. “Maybe this time, my parents will understand me. Maybe this time, my in-laws will accept me.” That fantasy is especially potent this year after so much time apart.
The essay ends:
Our loved ones are imperfect; so are we. That means that feelings are going to be hurt this year and that efforts to express love are going to be clumsy, awkward or marred by pride and stubbornness. Though the pandemic has increased tensions within families, it has also created an opening. Now more than ever, people are recognizing the importance of being together — and how precious and fleeting life can be. Keeping these blessings in mind might inspire us to lead with love this holiday season.
Next, in “Five Ways to Exercise Your Thankfulness Muscles,” Tish Harrison Warrenwrites about how she went from dreading the Thanksgiving ritual of naming something she’s grateful for to loving it. She writes:
I’m from a family that doesn’t talk much about feelings. We keep it mostly to jokes, sarcasm and sports. When I was growing up, perhaps the biggest perceived sin was being overly earnest and sincere. So all of us kids were shocked when one Thanksgiving, out of nowhere, my parents announced that we’d begin a new ritual. The 20 to 30 of us gathered for the Thanksgiving meal each had to share something we were grateful for.
Over the years, this practice took on the repetitive qualities all liturgies have. Some people expressed gratitude for their health or friends and family. Every year, my great-uncle gave thanks for being a Democrat, and our friend Art strategically positioned himself directly after him in the circle so he could say that he was grateful “for canceling out his vote,” and everyone laughed. My introverted brother-in-law would tease my parents about the horror of the dreaded “circle of thanks.”
But the dreaded circle became part of why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It is a day that spotlights the need for gratitude.
Students, read both pieces, then tell us:
Do you feel a stronger-than-usual “yearning for love, connection and, above all, belonging” this holiday season? Does it seem as if the people in your life are placing greater importance on getting together this holiday season than in years past?
To what degree, if at all, are you worried about conversations in which people have opposing views — about politics, vaccines, masks or anything else? If conflict does arise, how would you like to handle it? Why?
Do you agree with Ms. Harrison Warren’s idea that we have a cultural need to experience gratitude? What does being grateful mean to you? Is Thanksgiving a good time to put gratitude into practice?
If you are asked to share one thing you are grateful for this Thanksgiving, what might you say? Why?
Ms. Harrison Warren quotes Kisha James, a member of the Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe in New England, as saying, “Try to divorce your Thanksgiving celebrations from the Thanksgiving mythology,” referring to stories about pilgrims and Indians sitting down together for a “friendly meal.” Why does she give this advice, and what do you think about it? (For more on the subject, you may want to read our Lesson of the Day, The Thanksgiving Myth Gets a Deeper Look This Year, and the related Student Opinion question linked below.)
No American city has more roundabouts than Carmel, Ind., which has 102,000 residents and 140 roundabouts, with more to come. The roundabouts not only make the roads safer, but they also help to reduce the effects of climate change.
In this lesson, you will learn about the history and benefits of the roundabouts in Carmel. Then, you will identify and redesign an intersection in your community that is unsafe or causes unnecessary traffic.
Warm-Up
What is traffic like on the way to school or work? Does your city or town suffer from too much traffic?
Roundabouts are road intersections at which traffic moves around a circular area, instead of using stoplights or stop signs to direct traffic. In the featured article, you will learn about how one city is using roundabouts to improve safety and help the climate. Watch this short video of a roundabout in Carmel, Ind. What do you notice? What do you wonder?
1. Why does Carmel have so many roundabouts? What are some of the benefits of roundabouts?
2. How did Jim Brainard, Carmel’s mayor, become interested in roundabouts? What obstacles did he face while trying to place them in Carmel?
3. How do roundabouts help traffic flow and keep streets safer for cars, bikes and pedestrians?
4. How do residents in Carmel feel about the roundabouts? What about outsiders?
5. What are other ways that Mr. Brainard, and the city of Carmel, try to mitigate the effects of climate change?
6. What does research reveal about carbon emissions at roundabouts?
7. What kind of scrutiny has Carmel faced because of its roundabouts? How has the city responded and tried to better equip drivers as they navigate roundabouts?
Going Further
Consider traffic flow and safety in your own community: Is there an intersection that is difficult or dangerous for cars, people or bikes to navigate? Once you have identified an intersection, follow the steps below to redesign it.
1. Find a bird’s-eye view of the intersection on Google Maps. You can take a screenshot of the map, or print it out, to make your edits.
2. Look closely at the map to identify the problems with the intersection. For example, you can use different colored arrows for cars, people and bikes to label the flow of traffic. What do you notice about the traffic flow? What seems to be causing the problem or problems?
3. Once you have identified the issues, redesign the intersection, either using your Google Map screenshot or a blank page. In your new design, you can add, subtract or change features, such as roundabouts, stop signs, traffic signals, sidewalks, crosswalks, pedestrian signals, footbridges, bike lanes or something else.
Share your completed design with your classmates. What is your reaction to your classmates’ designs?
Want more Lessons of the Day? You can find them all here.
Kyle Rittenhouse, who fatally shot two men and wounded another amid protests and rioting over police conduct in Kenosha, Wis., was found not guilty of homicide and other charges on Friday, in a deeply divisive case that ignited a national debate over vigilantism, gun rights and the definition of self-defense.
After about 26 hours of deliberation, a jury appeared to accept Mr. Rittenhouse’s explanation that he had acted reasonably to defend himself in an unruly and turbulent scene in August 2020, days after a white police officer shot Jacob Blake, a Black resident, during a summer of unrest following the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.
Mr. Rittenhouse sobbed and was held by his lawyers after a clerk read the jury’s verdict, acquitting him of all charges.
After the shootings, Mr. Rittenhouse was transformed from an unknown 17-year-old from rural Illinois into a national symbol. Some Americans were horrified by the images of a teenager toting a powerful semiautomatic rifle on a city street during racial justice demonstrations, a reminder of the extent of open carry laws in the United States. Others saw a well-meaning young man who had gone to keep the peace and provide medical aid, a response to the sometimes destructive protests that had roiled American cities in the summer of 2020.
“So many people look at this case and they see what they want to see,” Thomas Binger, the prosecutor in the trial, had cautioned jurors before they began deliberations.
The case reflected the sharp split in the country, and political leaders and others weighed in almost immediately, conservatives deeming it a win for the notion of self-defense and liberals labeling it a failure of the criminal justice system.
The article continues:
On Aug. 25, 2020, Mr. Rittenhouse arrived in downtown Kenosha with his rifle and a medical kit on the third day of civil unrest over the shooting of Mr. Blake by Officer Rusten Sheskey in the former factory town of 100,000 residents. (In January, prosecutors announced they were not charging Officer Sheskey with wrongdoing.) Demonstrators marched peacefully at points, but some smashed streetlamps and set cars and shops on fire. Law enforcement was overwhelmed, and dozens of civilians took up their own firearms to guard businesses and subdivisions, adding to a tense and chaotic atmosphere that included sparring between the groups.
Testimony and video footage shown during the two-week trial revealed that Mr. Rittenhouse was chased into a parking lot, at one point, by Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, who was unarmed and behaving erratically. Mr. Rittenhouse turned and shot him at close range, killing Mr. Rosenbaum, who had been living in Kenosha.
Mr. Rittenhouse then shot two other people — Anthony Huber and Gaige Grosskreutz — who pursued Mr. Rittenhouse as he fled, testimony showed. Mr. Grosskreutz, a medic from the Milwaukee suburbs, survived and testified at the trial, saying he had pulled out a gun because he believed that Mr. Rittenhouse was an active shooter. Mr. Huber, who was 26 and had been protesting the shooting of Mr. Blake — a longtime friend — died after a gunshot to the chest.
Have you been following the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse? What is your reaction to his acquittal on all counts?
The defense team argued that Kyle Rittenhouse had acted reasonably to defend himself during the demonstrations. The prosecution argued that he was an instigator who had behaved with criminal recklessness, inserting himself into a volatile scene of demonstrators and then firing his gun with little provocation. In your view, given the information you have, which side is the more compelling case, and why?
In “Can Self-Defense Laws Stand Up to a Country Awash in Guns?” Shaila Dewan reports how this case raises important questions: whether openly displayed guns make the bearers feel safer at the expense of everyone else, whether brandishing a gun constitutes a criminal threat or an act of self-protection, and whether people can benefit from self-defense claims if their own actions contributed to the volatility of a situation. What do you think about these three legal and moral questions?
A vigilante is someone who takes the law into their own hands. In an Opinion essay, Charles M. Blow argued that “The idea of taking the law into one’s own hands not only to protect order, but also to protect the order, is central to the maintenance of white power and its structures.” Black vigilantes, he says “are not celebrated, but feared, condemned and constrained by the law.” Do you agree with Mr. Blow’s view of the racial dynamics of vigilantism? Why or why not?
Ms. Bosman writes that the verdict is being seen by some as “a win for the notion of self-defense” and others as “a failure of the criminal justice system.” Do think this verdict should be seen as a symbol for broader issues? If so, which ones? If not, why?
Want more writing prompts? You can find all of our questions in our Student Opinion column. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate them into your classroom.
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.
1. After looking closely at the image above (or at the full-size image), think about these three questions:
2. Next, join the conversation by clicking on the comment button and posting in the box that opens on the right. (Students 13 and older are invited to comment, although teachers of younger students are welcome to post what their students have to say.)
3. After you have posted, try reading back to see what others have said, then respond to someone else by posting another comment. Use the “Reply” button or the @ symbol to address that student directly.
Each Monday, our collaborator, Visual Thinking Strategies, will facilitate a discussion from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern time by paraphrasing comments and linking to responses to help students’ understanding go deeper. You might use their responses as models for your own.
4. On Thursday afternoons, we will reveal at the bottom of this post more information about the photo. How does reading the caption and learning its back story help you see the image differently?
The Reveal
We’ll post more information here on Thursday afternoon. Stay tuned!
Students 13 and older in the United States and the Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.
Even though the complex and intricate art of game development isn’t always, well, “fun and games,” if you choose the right language, it can be rewarding — both personally and financially.
The average Game Developer makes more than $101,000 a year. So, as your player on the screen is collecting coins, so is your pocket.
Still, the rate at which you’re able to develop games hinges on choosing the right languages. Read on to learn the best languages for game development and some of the benefits of each one.
1. C++
It’s no surprise that C++ is one of the top game-developing languages, especially because it’s such a popular, flexible solution. C++ is known for its high abstraction level, which allows you to have precise control over how a computer’s hardware interacts with your code.
C++ also provides more granular control over how graphics are processed by the system, which plays a very important role in game design.
Another key benefit of using C++ is it allows you to optimize special parts of your game design, giving them their own abstractions. This is akin to giving specific elements of the game their own infrastructure and resources. This level of detailed game development is difficult, if not impossible, with many other languages.
C++ has been used to make popular games like StarCraft, Football Pro, and Counterstrike. To get started crafting your own C++ games, check out courses like Learn C++ and C++ for Programmers.
2. Java
Even though Java doesn’t provide the same level of intricate control as C++, many see it as the best language for game development. Java’s popularity is partially due to its ease of use, which makes it a great solution for many new Game Developers.
The Java community also provides a deep treasure trove of tools and other open-source resources. This makes it much faster to develop games, especially because you can find code that’s already been written to use in your game. In some ways, Java can give the game development process a more plug-and-play feel than C++.
To dive into the world of Java development, check out our Learn Java course and Build Basic Android Apps with Java Skill Path. These will make it easier to bring the games floating around in your head to the screen.
3. JavaScript
When it comes to online game development, few languages make it easier than JavaScript. JavaScript plays well with both HTML and CSS, making it easier to develop games for multiple platforms.
Some programmers see JavaScript as a convenient all-around solution because you can use it to create animations and interactive elements. Plus, the online community behind JavaScript is huge, so you can find plenty of pre-designed elements to use in your own games.
JavaScript is the language behind gaming hits like American Girl, Angry Birds, and Aquaria. To get started with the language, try our Learn JavaScript course. We’ll provide you with the fundamentals you need to get comfortable with both front-end and back-end game development.
4. HTML5
HTML5 is another popular language for Game Developers, especially because programmers have created gaming engines that are specifically designed to make HTML5 games work better. Plus, you can use it with JavaScript interchangeably.
HTML5 is also known for its ability to construct games that work on multiple platforms and different kinds of browsers. This could make it easier to design games that appeal to wider audiences.
HTML5 has been used to create hit games like World Cup Penalty 2018 and Gods Will Be Watching. You can learn the basics of HTML5 with our Learn HTML course. This will provide you with the essential building blocks you need to create interactive, addictive games.
5. C#
Even though C# is considered an easier alternative to C++, it’s still a flexible, powerful programming language. Part of the reason why C# is such a useful language for developing games is Microsoft developed XNA for this exact purpose.
XNA is a set of tools specifically created to make game development easier and faster without sacrificing the experience of the end-user. C#’s flexibility is another big plus. You can build games that can run on a wide variety of platforms, including:
PlayStation
Windows
Android
iOS
This has made C# the language of choice for games like Super Mario Run and Pokémon Go. To start crafting your own game characters, check out our Learn C# course. In addition to games, this course will teach you the fundamentals behind virtual reality, websites, and mobile applications.
6. Python
While Python may not be as popular with Game Developers as Java or C++, it gives you access to tools that streamline the development process. For this reason, many new Game Programmers gravitate towards Python.
Python’s popularity is partly due to its use of OOP (Object-Oriented Programming). Objects used in OOP have properties that can be used in multiple aspects of the game, making game development easier and faster.
All you have to do is copy and paste objects into different segments of your code and then make relatively minor adjustments so they fit those aspects of the game. Objects also make it easier to edit code because if you find a mistake in one object, you can apply the fix to the others.
Python’s user-friendly structure has positioned it to be the language behind Battlefield 2, Eve Online, and Disney’s Toontown Online. Get started with the language with the help of our Learn Python course.
With our courses, you can build the skills and experience you need to be a star Game Developer. We’ll show you how to run, hop, and blast your way to a successful career in game development — and other tech fields — help you build a portfolio, prepare for technical interviews, and more.
Maintaining your mental and physical health can feel like a full-time job. While we all know that a mindfulness retreat or a yoga programme would be of immeasurable benefit to our daily well-being, it’s just so hard to find the time and the energy needed to make these major changes.
However, there are many small changes that you can make to your daily schedule that will have a disproportionately positive effect on how you are feeling, both mentally and physically. These changes are so small that they’ve probably never even occurred to you as possibilities.
By taking a few short courses on these niche health topics, you’ll gain valuable information that can transform your life by making just a few small change to your daily routine. So get learning!
You don’t need to be an insomniac to want to improve the quality of your sleep. Almost everyone goes through periods of sleeping badly, due to stress, changing routines or any number of other reasons. Sleeping is how the body recharges its batteries and is vital to both our physical and mental health. This course clearly explains the science of sleep and outlines some simple techniques for improving the quality of your rest.
Whether at work, at home or out and about, we spend a large part of our time interacting with others. If you don’t feel at ease in yourself, or if you suffer from social anxiety, then this can be a very difficult experience. Social anxiety can result in you miscommunicating with those around you and this can result in confusion and misunderstandings. This can have repercussions both at work and socially. This course goes back to the basics of understanding yourself and builds towards how you can successfully make yourself understood with others.
It’s not every day that you break your leg or suffer a concussion, but many of us will go through the day with small aches and pains that seem to come from nowhere and disappear again after a short time. These small aches are usually not painful enough to go to the doctor but they slow us down and can be more annoying than painful. These are often the results of inflammation, one of the most common causes of small scale bodily aches. By learning about inflammation you can minimise the causes and start eradicating those inconvenient niggles.
Alongside educating yourself about the causes of inflammation, learning how to correctly stretch your muscles is a simple but incredibly effective way to drastically improve the quality of your physical well being on a daily basis. Muscles shorten if they’re not regularly exercised and flexibility is reduced. If you’re working at a desk and sitting in the same position for long periods, tight muscles can start to cramp or even lead to chronic pain issues. This course will explain how you can integrate some key gentle stretching exercises into your daily routine.
Reiki is an alternative form of healing that you can use to both help others and yourself. Originating in Japan, reiki is based around restoring a correct physical and mental balance to allow for a more calm and stress-free engagement with the world around you. This fascinating course is not just a great way to increase your well-being, it will also offer you a window into the richness of traditional Japanese cultural practices and thinking.
Earlier this year Alison launched the Traditional Irish Music Hub in collaboration with some of Ireland’s finest musicians. Drawing on the very best talent in traditional Irish music, Alison crafted a series of courses covering all of the genre’s major instruments, including fiddle, concertina and bodhrán.
The courses have been already been enjoyed by thousands of students eager to take part in this ancient and rich musical tradition.
In Ireland, the popularity of the courses has prompted acclaim across the mediascape, with both the musicians and Alison receiving praise for encouraging and fostering a love of the native musical tradition.
Michael McCague, the talented guitarist behind Alison’s traditional Irish guitar courses, is quoted in The Anglo-Celt newspaper on his experience of producing the courses and his love of Irish music. In the paper, which covers the northern Irish midlands, the Monaghan man spoke about how Irish music is a very welcoming community that offers friendship as well as a new skill to learners who get involved with the courses.
In the Connacht Tribune, there were plaudits for the musicians for sharing their expertise and encouraging the growth of Irish traditional music, while Alison was lauded as a platform that allows subject matter experts to share their knowledge for free.
Alison founder and CEO, Mike Feerick, recently spoke with Keith Finnegan on the Galway Talks show on Galway Bay FM about the project. Alison is a Galway-based social enterprise and the Traditional Irish Music Hub, which drew on the expertise of many musicians based in the same part of the country, was close to the founder’s heart. (The interview can be listened to in full at 52 minutes into the show.)
The national broadcaster also got in on the praise, with a segment on the project on RTÉ’s flagship Today show. (The segment can be watched in full from 60 minutes into the show.)
If you’re interested in mobile development, then you’ve probably already heard of Kotlin as a popular language for developing Android apps. Maybe you’ve even started an online Kotlin course to give yourself a head start in your new development career.
But learning doesn’t end once you’ve finished the course. If you want to keep your programming skills sharp, it’s important to constantly challenge yourself by solving problems using programming languages like Kotlin.
That’s why we’ve put together these 10 Kotlin code challenges for beginners to give you a way to put your knowledge to practical use and get you prepared for your next technical interview. Just pick a challenge below, hop in a workspace, and get started.
1. Number steps
Many programming languages have built-in functions that output sequences of numbers separated by steps. Create your own Kotlin function from scratch that creates a sequenced list of numbers from 0 to a maximum input value and input step. For example, a maximum value of 8 and a step value of 2 should return an output of [2, 4, 6, 8].
If you’re looking for more of a challenge, create a Fibonacci sequence generator. Remember that the following number of a Fibonacci sequence is the sum of the two preceding it: [1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13].
2. Consistent capitalization
An important part of data preparation is to ensure that data strings are uniformly formatted and capitalized. For a given input string, create a function that accepts a string input as well as an argument string that’s either “upper” or “lower.”
If “upper,” then the function should convert everything in the string to upper case, while the “lower” argument should return the string with every character in lowercase.
To give yourself an added challenge, add the arguments “snake” and “camel” that convert a string of words separated by spaces into snake case or camel case.
thisissnake_case
ThisIsCamelCase
3. The longest word
For a given input string of words, create a function that returns the longest word in the string. For example, for the input phrase “I love Codecademy,” the output should be “Codecademy.”
For an added challenge, you can create an output that lists the longest word along with the number of characters in the word. So, for the string “I love Codecademy,” the output would look something like, “word: Codecademy count: 10.”
4. Caesar cipher
In cryptography, a Caesar cipher is a simple encryption technique that shifts every letter in a message by a certain number of letters. The number of letters to shift is known as the key or shift parameter. For example, if the key is 1, then the message:
“Codecademy is awesome!”
becomes:
“Dpefdbefnz jt bxftpnf!”
Note how every letter in the encrypted message is one letter after each letter in the original message.
Create a Caesar cipher function that accepts an integer key and a message string as inputs. If the encrypted letter goes beyond the letter z, it should wrap around to the beginning of the alphabet.
For an extra challenge, create another function that decrypts an encoded message for a given key and encoded string.
5. Train route
Create a function that lists the stations on a train route based on an input of stations. For example, an input of (“NY Penn”) should output “Train is stopping at NY Penn.” For an input of (“NY Penn,” “Woodside,” “Forest Hills”), the output should be “Train is stopping at NY Penn, Woodside, and Forest Hills.”
If you want to challenge yourself a bit more, add a second input that includes train departure time, train number, and destination station. So, with the inputs (234, “10:00”, “Montauk”) and (“NY Penn,” “Babylon,” “Sayville”), the output should be “10:00 train number 234 to Montauk is stopping at NY Penn, Babylon and Sayville.”
Remember that the train number should be input as an integer but output as part of a string.
6. Permutation palindrome
A palindrome is a word or phrase that could be spelled the same forward and backward. Examples of palindromes include the words “level” and “racecar” as well as the phrase “taco cat.”
Create a function that returns TRUE if an input string is a permutation of a palindrome — that is, if the string could somehow be rearranged to make a palindrome. For example, the strings “racecar,” “carrace,” and “gghhk” should return TRUE, while words such as “tammy” and “code” should return FALSE.
For an additional challenge, allow your input to include phrase strings. You’ll need to find a way to remove all spaces in the input string before running your function.
7. FizzBuzz
The FizzBuzz challenge is a popular problem in technical interviews. For a given maximum input value n, create a function that outputs integers from 1 to n.
But, if an integer is divisible by three, then the number should be replaced with the word “Fizz.” Numbers divisible by five should say “Buzz” instead. And numbers divisible by both three and five should say “FizzBuzz.”
For example, with an input of 17, the output should be:
For a given integer input n, create a function that returns a string output of generated steps using the # character. For example, for an input of 3, the output should look like:
‘# ‘
‘##’
‘###’
If you’d like to “step up” this challenge, add a string input that allows the function to generate steps for any given single character.
9. Triangles, etc.
Come up with a function that creates a triangle based on an integer input to specify the number of rows and a string input to determine the “building block” of the triangle. If you want to challenge yourself more, add a third input that allows someone to specify different shapes such as a circle, square, or trapezoid.
10. Pascal’s triangle
If you’re up to an intermediate challenge after finishing Challenge 9 (Triangles, etc.), try creating Pascal’s triangle.
You might remember learning about Pascal’s triangle in algebra class. It’s a quick way to solve binomial expansions — (x + y)n — where the nth row in Pascal’s triangle gives you the coefficients of xy raised to different powers. Pascal’s triangle is also used in probability theory, and you can read more about how it’s created here.
For a given integer input a, create Pascal’s triangle with a rows. The first row should correspond to a = 0.
For example, for an input value of 2, the output should look something like:
1
1,1
1,2,1
If you’re pursuing a career in mobile development, learning Kotlin is a great way to get started. Or, if you want to learn more about Android development, check out courses like:
