JM Sample

if (args.Length != 1) throw new Exception("Requires one input of integer"); int inputVal = 0; int.TryParse(args[0], out inputVal); int exponentOf8GreaterThanInput = 0; int exponent = 0; List<int> base8ExponentValueArray = new List<int>(); //create list/array of power of 8 exponents IE 1/8/64/512 until the value is greater than the input //Pretend the input is 125 //We loop and build array until we get a number bigger than 125 //so we would end up with an array of 512,64,8,1 while (exponentOf8GreaterThanInput <= inputVal) { exponentOf8GreaterThanInput = (int)Math.Pow(8, exponent); base8ExponentValueArray.Insert(0, exponentOf8GreaterThanInput); exponent+=1; } var result = new List<string>(); //string list of integers var amountRemaining = inputVal; //this value will store the starting amount and any remainders //loop thru the array of powers of 8 starting largest first //First time thru using 125 as input // 125/512, non rounded result = 0 // 125/64 non rounded = 1 with remainder of 61 // 61/8 non rounded = 7 with remainder of 5 // 5/1 just equals 5 // result = 0175 foreach (int base8Val in base8ExponentValueArray) { //get a non rounded integer from division AKA 1.954 = 1 var val = Math.Floor((decimal)amountRemaining / (decimal)base8Val); //add the non rounded integer to the result string array result.Add(val.ToString()); //set the remainer AKA the next amount to divide. amountRemaining = inputVal % base8Val; } //loop thru result array and print each char in order they were added foreach (var val in result) Console.Write(val);