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Subject: 
Re: Badly Abridged
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.fun
Date: 
Sat, 6 Mar 2004 09:16:07 GMT
Viewed: 
927 times
  
In lugnet.off-topic.fun, Dave Schuler wrote:
Here’s a fun little thought experiment hatched in my heat-oppressed brain.
Please comment.

Given a rope bridge over a chasm, assume the following:

1. The strength of the bridge cannot be determined precisely.
2. A fall from the bridge will certainly be fatal.
3. The chasm cannot be traversed by any means except the bridge.
4. A group of people must cross the bridge:
   a. No two people weigh the same amount.
   b. No two people together weigh less than the heaviest single person.
   c. One cannot leap from any part of the bridge to the other side of the
      chasm
5. If the bridge collapses under a person’s weight, it will collapse while the
   too-heavy is still crossing, and that person will fall.
6. The damaging effect of multiple crossings is cumulative; one person’s
   successful crossing does not guarantee another person’s success.

The goal is to get as many people across the bridge as possible.  What is the
best strategy to ensure this?  Is there a “best” way?  Is enough information
given to make a determination?

Thanks for your input.

Should this be FUT'ed to ot.geek?

Dave!
Sire of a New Generation


http://www.plastelina.net/games/game1.html

Similar problems, kinda fun to figure out.  Your question reminded me of game 3.
http://www.plastelina.net/games/game3.html

e?



Message is in Reply To:
  Badly Abridged
 
Here’s a fun little thought experiment hatched in my heat-oppressed brain. Please comment. Given a rope bridge over a chasm, assume the following: 1. The strength of the bridge cannot be determined precisely. 2. A fall from the bridge will certainly (...) (20 years ago, 18-Feb-04, to lugnet.off-topic.fun)

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