SOLUTION: a puzzle consists of 5 button arranged in a circle. if any button is pushed, it will go to its opposite state i.e if it is on it will go off and if it is off it will go on . Simil

Question 978455: a puzzle consists of 5 button arranged in a circle. if any button is pushed, it will go to its opposite state i.e if it is on it will go off and if it is off it will go on . Similarly, the button on either side of it will reverse in the same way. when the puzzle is switched on, all of the button come on . how would you go about turning them all off by presing one switch at a time
Found 2 solutions by solver91311, KMST:
Answer by solver91311(24713) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!

Number the buttons 1 through 5 consecutively around the circle (either direction, doesn't matter). One way to solve it is to press 1, 3, 4, 5, 2.

In general,

Step 1: push any button,

Step 2: push either of the two remaining "ON" buttons,

Step 3: push the "OFF" button adjacent to the button you pushed in step 2.

Step 4: push the "ON" button that is between the button you pushed in step 3 and the one remaining "OFF" button.

Step 5: push the "ON" button that is between the other two remaining "ON" buttons.

Send a note back and I'll send you an Excel sheet with the puzzle mechanized.

John

My calculator said it, I believe it, that settles it

Answer by KMST(5328) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
It may not be the only way, or the most efficient way, but this way works:
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