Project Euler - Problem 8

Welcome to week 8 of my Project Euler series.

Problem 8:
Discover the largest product of five consecutive digits in the 1000-digit number.

Details:

Find the greatest product of five consecutive digits in the 1000-digit number.

73167176531330624919225119674426574742355349194934
96983520312774506326239578318016984801869478851843
85861560789112949495459501737958331952853208805511
12540698747158523863050715693290963295227443043557
66896648950445244523161731856403098711121722383113
62229893423380308135336276614282806444486645238749
30358907296290491560440772390713810515859307960866
70172427121883998797908792274921901699720888093776
65727333001053367881220235421809751254540594752243
52584907711670556013604839586446706324415722155397
53697817977846174064955149290862569321978468622482
83972241375657056057490261407972968652414535100474
82166370484403199890008895243450658541227588666881
16427171479924442928230863465674813919123162824586
17866458359124566529476545682848912883142607690042
24219022671055626321111109370544217506941658960408
07198403850962455444362981230987879927244284909188
84580156166097919133875499200524063689912560717606
05886116467109405077541002256983155200055935729725
71636269561882670428252483600823257530420752963450

Code:
// Discover the largest product of five consecutive digits in the (given) 1000-digit number.
class Problem0008
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
var rawString = LoadString();
List characterList = rawString.ToCharArray().ToList();
List products = new List();
for (int i = 0; i < characterList.Count() - 4; i++)
{
int first = int.Parse(characterList[i].ToString());
int second = int.Parse(characterList[i+1].ToString());
int third = int.Parse(characterList[i+2].ToString());
int fourth = int.Parse(characterList[i+3].ToString());
int fifth = int.Parse(characterList[i+4].ToString());
products.Add(first * second * third * fourth * fifth);
}

Console.WriteLine(products.Max());
Console.Read();
}

private static string LoadString()
{
return "7316717653133062491922511967442657474235534919493496983520312774506326239578318016984801869478851843858615607891129494954595017379583319528532088055111254069874715852386305071569329096329522744304355766896648950445244523161731856403098711121722383113622298934233803081353362766142828064444866452387493035890729629049156044077239071381051585930796086670172427121883998797908792274921901699720888093776657273330010533678812202354218097512545405947522435258490771167055601360483958644670632441572215539753697817977846174064955149290862569321978468622482839722413756570560574902614079729686524145351004748216637048440319989000889524345065854122758866688116427171479924442928230863465674813919123162824586178664583591245665294765456828489128831426076900422421902267105562632111110937054421750694165896040807198403850962455444362981230987879927244284909188845801561660979191338754992005240636899125607176060588611646710940507754100225698315520005593572972571636269561882670428252483600823257530420752963450";
}
}

Solution:
For starters a little clarification. The number that is given, and subsequently used, is a number, not a list of numbers. It is only written the way it is in the description, and subsequently in my code, for readability purposes.

This exercise turned out to be more of a raw data practicing exercise than anything else. I simply took all the input as string and converted it into a list of characters ( rawString.ToCharArray().ToList() ).  With that done I created on additional list (of integers) that stores all the products that I get as I run through the list.  In order to shave off a good 2 or 3 milliseconds I used a for loop that only goes as long as there are enough characters after the fact to warrant it.  For each character I place it and the next four into variables and add their product to my list.  A simple call to the Max() method of my list and I have my answer. Nothing to it.

Until next time...

Enjoy!