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Definition of fencepost error

fencepost error

noun

  • a particular class of "off-by-one" errors in which the intuitive answer is incorrect. The following problem illustrates the error:

    "How many posts are required to build a 100 foot long fence with posts 10 feet apart?"

    The intuitive answer - 10 - is incorrect. (11 posts are required.)

    Last edited on Nov 08 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.

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