Final Friday Fix: November 2024 Challenge

On the final Friday of each month, we set an Excel / Power Pivot / Power Query / Power BI problem for you to puzzle over for the weekend.  On the Monday, we publish a solution.  If you think there is an alternative answer, feel free to email us.  We’ll feel free to ignore you.

The Challenge

In this challenge, we want you to calculate the number of distinct ways to climb a staircase with n steps, where each step can be climbed by taking either a single step or a double step at a time.  For example, for a staircase with 3 steps, the possible ways to climb it would be:

• taking three single steps: 1 – 1 –  1
• one single step followed by a double step: 1 –  2
• one double step followed by a single step: 2 –  1.

This results in three [3] unique ways to climb three [3] steps.  But as the number of steps of the stair increases, so do the possible combinations, making it an interesting puzzle.  You could download the original question file here.

As always, there were some requirements:

• the formula needs to be within just one [1] column (no “helper” cells).

Sounds easy?  Then why not have a go?  We’ll publish one solution in Monday’s blog.  Have a great weekend in the meantime!