Algorithmic Puzzles.ppt

Catching a Spy (Algorithmic Puzzles, #136) How to catch the spy? 0 1 2 3 4 -1 -2 -3 -4 Algorithmic Puzzles and Main CS Ideas Tower of Hanoi (édouard Lucas, 1883) There are n disks of different sizes and three pegs. Initially, all the disks are on the first peg in order of size, the largest on the bottom and the smallest on top. The objective is to transfer all the disks to another peg by a sequence of moves. Only one disk can be moved at a time, and it is forbidden to place a larger disk on top of a smaller one. Algorithmic Puzzles and Main CS Ideas All 9 general algorithm design strategies can be nicely illustrated by algorithmic puzzles, showing applicability of the strategies to problems outside traditional computing domainSee:A. Levitin, Introduction to the Design and Analysis of Algorithms, 3rd ed., 2011A. Levitin and M. Levitin, Algorithmic Puzzles, 2011A. Levitin and M.-A. Papalaskari, Proc. of SIGCSE’02 Algorithmic Puzzles and Main CS Ideas Insolvability of some problems and the idea of an invariant: a property that doesn’t change by any of the operations allowed in the problem Parity (e.g. 7 Bridges of K?nigsberg, the Fifteen Puzzle) Coloring (e.g. many tiling and chessboard tour problems) Algorithmic Puzzles and Main CS Ideas Algorithm efficiency False Coin Detection Find a lighter fake among n coins with a balance scale without any weights. Brute force: weigh coin pairs (1 vs. 1) Divide-by-half: divide into two halves (with 1 aside if n is odd) and compare their weights Divide into 3 about equal subsets is better than dividing into two Schweik’s Puzzle (Algorithmic Puzzles, #50) Note: The puzzle alludes to the hero of the novel The Good Soldier Schweik by the Czech writer Yaroslav Ha?ek (1883--1923). In this satirical novel, Schweik is depicted as a simple minded man who appears to be eager to execute orders but does it in a manner that, in fact, contradicts their intended goal. The good soldier Schweik had