kdunn@lehi3b15.csee.Lehigh.EDU (Kevin Dunn) (12/12/90)
I was wondering if any of you netlanders had any info on the following problem: The problem is called the penny-dime problem. You start with a ring with 13 spaces on it, and 6 pennies and 6 dimes. The arrangement is PDPDPD<space>PDPDPD. The object is to get PPPPPP<space>DDDDDD. Only 4 moves are allowed: A left shift into the space, a right shift into the space, or a left or write jump over 1 into the space. If anyone has any leads for an alogrithm for solving this, please let me know. Thanks in advance... Kdunn@lehi3b15.Csee.lehigh.edu
John G. Spragge <SPRAGGEJ@QUCDN.QueensU.CA> (12/16/90)
In article <1298@lehi3b15.csee.Lehigh.EDU>, kdunn@lehi3b15.csee.Lehigh.EDU (Kevin Dunn) says: > The problem is called the penny-dime problem. You start with a ring with >13 spaces on it, and 6 pennies and 6 dimes. The arrangement is > PDPDPD<space>PDPDPD. The object is to get PPPPPP<space>DDDDDD. > Only 4 moves are allowed: A left shift into the space, a right shift into >the space, or a left or write jump over 1 into the space. > Kdunn@lehi3b15.Csee.lehigh.edu This looks to me like a problem that was invented to give students some insight into the problems of sorting. I'd suggest that you look at a book on sorts, and just offhand, you might want to pay some special attention to bubble sorts.