solution.py

# Summary:
# Given a number, num, return the shortest amount of steps it would take from 1, to land exactly on that number.

# Description:
# A step is defined as:

# Adding 1 to the number: num += 1
# Doubling the number: num *= 2
# You will always start from the number 1 and you will have to return the shortest count of steps
# it would take to land exactly on that number.

# 1 <= num <= 10000

# Examples:

# num == 3 would return 2 steps:

# 1 -- +1 --> 2:        1 step
# 2 -- +1 --> 3:        2 steps

# 2 steps
# num == 12 would return 4 steps:

# 1 -- +1 --> 2:        1 step
# 2 -- +1 --> 3:        2 steps
# 3 -- x2 --> 6:        3 steps
# 6 -- x2 --> 12:       4 steps

# 4 steps


def shortest_steps_to_num(num):
    steps = 0
    while num > 1:
        if num % 2:
            num -= 1
        else:
            num /= 2

        steps += 1

    return steps