allergies: It may be helpful to explicitly point out that the score components have a certain pattern

[petertseng]

In https://github.com/exercism/problem-specifications/blob/master/exercises/allergies/description.md you see the list of score components. It is possible to notice that the score components are all powers of two, but if it is not made clear, a reader may be wondering whether that is intentional and always true of all future components that might be added (#1284)

The person who fixes this issue should:

• Decide what kind of explanation should be present in the README, out of various possible options:
  • Explicitly state something similar to "these values are powers of two" or "each value is twice the previous"
  • State something similar to "these values follow a pattern, and future values, if they were ever added, would follow the same pattern" but not state that they are powers of two
  • Your idea here
• Add such an explanation in https://github.com/exercism/problem-specifications/blob/master/exercises/allergies/description.md
• Use a word in https://help.github.com/articles/closing-issues-using-keywords/ to indicate you have closed this issue
• OR discuss here why such an explanation is unnecessary and the description is already good as-is

[rpottsoh]

I think it could be OK to state that it is intentional that they are indicated the way they are. Until I see some other reasoning I don't think the README should state WHY they are indicated the way they are.

[petertseng]

don't think the README should state WHY they are indicated the way they are

Hmm, should I interpret this to mean:

• You suggest the README should say something similar to "these values are powers of two" or "each value is twice the previous" but not explain anything further
• You suggest the README should say something similar to "these values follow a pattern, and future values, if they were ever added, would follow the same pattern" but not state that they are powers of two
• Another interpretation not listed here

[rpottsoh]

You suggest the README should say something similar to "these values follow a pattern, and future values, if they were ever added, would follow the same pattern" but not state that they are powers of two

This seems about right. I was trying to come up with another interpretation but kept coming back to your second bullet point. The fact that the pattern is powers of two seems obvious but that it is intentional is not communicated. If the message is conveyed that it is intentional should be enough of a hint to the student.