Say we have scale from $1$ to $12$ We pick two numbers on this scale and trying to figure the shortest distance. Say $x_1 = 2, x_2 = 4$ and we need to figure out y which in this case would be $y = 2$
Here is some examples:
$x_1 = 2, x_2 = 11$, $Y$ would be equal $2$
$x_1 = 1, x_2 = 5$, $Y$ would be equal $4$
$x_1 = 2, x_2 = 10$, $Y$ would be equal $3$
What would be the formula/equation for this? It's like clock with $12$ hours and we need to find shortest distance between $2$ numbers
Any help would be much appreciated.
Firstly, for $x_1 = 2$, $x_2 = 11$, I believe $Y$ should be 3.
What you are describing as cycling around a clock is called modular arithmetic. So using the values above, $(x_1 - x_2) \mod 12 = (2 - 11) \mod 12 = -9 \mod 12 = 3$.
I believe you can go from here to find a formula for Y.