Hello from newbie! Free drinks anyone?!

[astcell]

Please forgive how that last entry looks, it's the page setup I guess. Let me try again.

..1.....8.....9.....16
15...10.....7.......2
14...11.....6.......3
..4.....5....12....13

[R.J.]

Looks pretty damn close, however, the diagonals are not summed to 34, which was part of the challenge. In addition, if you get it right (I am assuming the solution is unique, within acceptable transformations that don't break any of these properties), all 2x2 submatrices will also add to 34. (Your four corners do this, but not all of your possible 2x2s do.)

You are correct, the magic number is 34. And for any people watching but not posting:

Sigma x, x from 1 to 16 is equal to 136. All rows, columns, and diagonals will hold 4 items, that is, 1/4 of the total. 136/4 = 34. Because every row, column, and diagonal must sum to same number, it is most likely that this is the correct answer (I say most likely because I haven't proven this), because any 1/4 of the nodes should account for 1/4 of the total value, especially when an even distribution is desired.

[astcell]

Dang you would hit me with this on a server migration day! I have numbers everywhere, the boss thinks I am working on a computer system problem :-)

[astcell]

1 10 7 16

15 11 6 2

14 8 9 3

4 5 12 13



UGH!

[astcell]

Microsoft test question

Here is one that Microsoft apparently used at one time.

Four people need to cross a ravine. The bridge over it can only hold two people at a time. They have to walk together as there is only one light. All 4 people travel at different speeds. One can traverse the bridge one way in one minute, another in 2 minutes, another in 5 minutes and the last in 10 minutes. They take the same amount of time each coming back. The pair can only travel as fast as the slowest person in the pair. Once the two people are across, one person must bring back the light for others to cross. No one rides on shoulders and there is no time zone change or any other hidden stuff, so...

Get all 4 people across the bridge in 17 minutes or less!

[converge]

is shooting the slow person a possibility?

[pc-0x90]

Check out the m4d ascii art...

1,2,5,A,@ -------------- _____ : 0 mins
5,A --------------------- 1,2,@ : 2 mins
1,5,A,@ ---------------- 2 : 3 mins
1 ----------------- 2,5,A,@ : 13 mins
1,2,@ ---------------- 1,5,A,@ : 15 mins
_____--------------- 1,2,5,A,@ : 17 mins


where @ is the light, now everyone has gotten across the bridge.

YAY! I can work for microsoft.. uhh.. woo

That's way too much like the missionary/cannibal problem...

[R.J.]

1 15 4 14
8 10 5 11
13 3 16 2
12 6 9 7

[astcell]

Originally posted by pc-0x90

1,2,5,A,@ -------------- _____ : 0 mins
5,A --------------------- 1,2,@ : 2 mins
1,5,A,@ ---------------- 2 : 3 mins
1 ----------------- 2,5,A,@ : 13 mins
1,2,@ ---------------- 1,5,A,@ : 15 mins
_____--------------- 1,2,5,A,@ : 17 mins

OKay I'm lost, can you explain that in English?

[astcell]

Originally posted by R.J.
1 15 4 14
8 10 5 11
13 3 16 2
12 6 9 7

Well it seems there is more than one solution, but I do see a pattern in there. I wonder how many solutions there are total.

-no, I'm not going to calculate it!

[pc-0x90]

I'm too lazy to figure out how to quote properly so...

quote from Astcell:
OKay I'm lost, can you explain that in English?

------------
Starting condition: each number represents one of the people (in hex) so there's the 1 minute guy, 2 minute, 5 minute and 10 minute and the torch at the start... time elapsed is 0 mins..
1,2,5,A,@ -------------- _____ : 0 mins

1 minute and 2 minute guy take the torch and cross in 2 mins...
5,A --------------------- 1,2,@ : 2 mins

1 minute guy takes the torch back.. he takes 1 minute to get back.. total time is now 3 mins..
1,5,A,@ ---------------- 2 : 3 mins

the 5 & 10 min guys cross now.. this is the major trick to the question, since the 10 min guy always takes ten mins, you eliminate the 5 min slowdown by having him cross with a slower person.. total time is 13 mins
1 ----------------- 2,5,A,@ : 13 mins

2 min guy runs the torch back to get 1 min guy.. 15 mins total
1,2,@ ---------------- 1,5,A,@ : 15 mins

1 & 2 min guys cross, nobody is left to cross and it's done in 17 mins..
_____--------------- 1,2,5,A,@ : 17 mins

whoa.. that's a long post

[bikinigurl]

Originally posted by R.J.
It's one of those skills everyone should learn. (Like how to drive a stick )

<rant>

yea well, no one has taught me ) :

*feels left out*

oh sure we'll teach you ... everyone volunteers, but when I ask it's like .. uhh <insert evasion of topic here>

so yea word
and it's limiting my new car options..

grrr!!!
stupid stick


anyways
</rant>


-toodles

[pc-0x90]

best way to learn stick is to buy one, and con the dealer into giving you a quick lesson before you drive it off the lot..

Then you're forced to learn, or walk.... but it's easy, a hell of a lot easier than rolling your own kernel (calm down.. not saying that's hard, just a comparison)

[R.J.]

I learned to drive a stick working at a car wash.

One of those full service jobs where they vacuum, wash, clean the wheels, armor all, do windows, leather, etc.

My first stick? 1997 Mustang Cobra. I could hear the clutch complaining, but the customer couldn't. After a while, I got better at it. Though I still think Mustangs have shitty sticks. BMW, Porshe, and Audi make manuals I like.

[bikinigurl]

Re: Re: locks

Originally posted by d0gcomplex


buy bikinigurl a drink call it a date and kill two birds with one drink so to speak..

what?!