$2.56

"If you think you're a really good programmer... read (Knuth's) Art of Computer Programming ... You should definitely send me a résumé if you can read the whole thing," read a quote from Bill Gates on the cover of the third edition of the first volume.

In the world of Silicon Valley, there are few books held in higher esteem than "Art of Computer Programming" a multivolume set by Stanford professor emeritus Donald Knuth.

When the first volume of "The Art of Computer Programming" came out in 1962, it was the first book to take a deep look into the math and science of programming. Knuth has made this his life's work, and has said that it'll be a seven-volume set before it's done. The most recent piece of the book was released in December 2015.

And despite its long publishing history, Knuth keeps "The Art of Computer Programming" up to date by enlisting his many fans. If you spot any kind of error in his books, you might get one of his famous "Knuth reward checks," a bounty in the amount of $2.56, or what he calls "one hexadecimal dollar." Those checks are a valuable prize for anyone who wants to prove that they know what they're talking about.