XPost: comp.sys.handhelds   
      
   In archiving some old files on CPM disks from way back, I came across this   
   note I wrote to a friend.  It describes a way to calculate the population   
   Tribbles using an HP calculator (I think I was using an HP-67 back then)   
   enjoy.   
      
   -J   
   /*******************************************/   
        Another  interesting  side  note:   I  have  discovered  the   
   "Tribble Population Function". Last night, I was watching my tape   
   of  "The  Trouble  with Tribbles" and I  heard  Spock  spout  off   
   another  one of his numbers (this time the population of tribbles   
   in the grain compartment),  so I decided to put him to the  test.   
   He said tribbles have an average litter of 10 and reproduce every   
   12  hours.  He  also said he assumed one tribble managed to  find   
   it's  way  into  the quadrotriticale 3 days ago  and  this  would   
   result in  a total population in the cargo hold of: 1,771,561. To   
   make a long story short, I should have known better than to doubt   
   Spock's figures, he was right!   Look at the program:   
      
                       LBL A   
                       STO 0   
                       1   
                       0   
                       x   
                       RCL 0   
                       +   
                       RTN   
      
        Key  in the initial population (1 tribble) and keep  hitting   
   "A".  You  will see the population grow at 12 hour intervals.  On   
   the third day you will see:  1771561.   
        Also, the first generation from one tribble is 11 (10 babies   
   and  the  one  parent).  Notice in the scene where Kirk  goes  to   
   sickbay  with a headache:  Kirk says McCoy has 11 tribbles in the   
   container.  This  happens  shortly  after Uhura  gave  McCoy  one   
   tribble in a rec room scene earlier!   
      
   /**************************************/   
      
   It's nice to know Gene & crew actually ran the numbers to ensure the   
   dialogue would be correct.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)