Head First C#: Lab #1: A Day at the Races
The contest to submit working code for this lab is now closed. Congratulations to Brandon Copeland from Houston, TX! You can still send in creative alternatives, though—see these details.
The Spec: Build a Racetrack Simulator
Joe, Bob, and Al love going to the track, but they're tired of losing all their money. They need you to build a simulator for them so they can figure out winners before they lay their money down. And, if you do a good job, they'll cut you in on their profits. Here's what you're going to build for them...
The Guys
Joe, Bob, and Al want to bet on a dog race. Joe starts with 50 bucks, Bob starts with 75 bucks, and Al starts with 45 bucks. Before each race, they'll each decide if they want to bet, and how much they want to put down. The guys can change their bets right up to the start of the race... but once the race starts, all bets are final.The Betting Parlor
The betting parlor keeps track of how much cash each guy has, and what bet he's placed. There's a minimum bet of 5 bucks. The parlor only takes one bet per person for any one race. The parlor checks to make sure that the guy who's betting has enough cash to cover his bet—so the guys can't place a bet if they don't have the cash to cover the bet.Betting
Every bet is double-or-nothing—either the winner doubles his money, or he loses what he bet. There's a minimum bet of 5 bucks, and each guy can bet up to 15 bucks on a single dog. If the dog wins, the bettor ends up with twice the amount that he bets (after the race is complete). If he loses, that amount disappears from his pile.The Race
There are four dogs that run on a straight track. The winner of the race is the first dog to cross the finish line. The race is totally random, there are no handicaps or odds, and a dog isn't more likely to win his next race based on his past performance.Check out Lab #1 in Head First C# for some hints to get you started.
