read file, for loop, calculate, output

[uguess]

Since i am a newbie please suggest simple solution so that i can understand.

Thanks
--------------------------------------------------------

I have a file like below
<dat>
coupon dist_quantity wight thickness
gum 235 3 10
toothpaste 500 5 12
shampoo 100 7 15

What i want to get done
-----------------------

Within my script i would provide a number

$household=1000;


Based on that above household number, i want to ouput that many lines in output file. I want to calculate coupon distribution within output file based on following formula.


n=rounddown[1/(dist_quantity/houshold)]

example for 1st coupon==> 235/1000 = 0.235
1/(235/1000) = 4.255
Round down to lowest number = 4
conclusion 1 in 4 household will get 1st coupon.

500/1000=0.5 =1/0.5= 2
1 in every 2 houshold will get coupon #2


What the output will look like
household coupon#1 coupon#2 coupon#3
1 gum toothpaste
2
3 toothpaste
4 gum
5 toothpaste
6
7 toothpaste
8 gum
.
.
.
1000

In the end there is also another summary file produce that is like this:

50 household got 2 coupons
1000 houshold got 1 coupon

 

[uguess]

Please help me get started.

 

[max1x]

You were provided very nice/detailed information in thread219-1169075.

 

[uguess]

That solution was too difficult for me to grasp. I was looking for something simple. I started bit of work but lost.

>cat coupon.list
gum|235|3|10
toothpaste|500|2|9
dove|559|5|12
shampoo|733|6|6

#! /bin/perl -w

open(out1,">coupon_results.dat1");
open(out2,">coupon_results.dat2");

$mailout=1000;

$data_file = "coupon.list";
open(data_file) or die("Could not open file!");
chomp;
($couponName, $distQuantity, $Thickness, $weight) = split(/\|/,$_);
{printf out2 "$couponName\n";}

for ($c=1;$c<$mailout;$c++)
{

{printf out1 "$couponName\n";}
}

close(datafile);