SOLUTION: Place a half-dollar, a quarter, and a nickel in position A. Try to move these coins, one at a time, to position C. At no time may a larger coin be placed on a smaller coin. Coins
Algebra ->
Customizable Word Problem Solvers
-> Finance
-> SOLUTION: Place a half-dollar, a quarter, and a nickel in position A. Try to move these coins, one at a time, to position C. At no time may a larger coin be placed on a smaller coin. Coins
Log On
Question 987080: Place a half-dollar, a quarter, and a nickel in position A. Try to move these coins, one at a time, to position C. At no time may a larger coin be placed on a smaller coin. Coins may be placed in position B.
a. How many moves does it take to get them to position C?
b. Now add a penny to the pile and see how many moves are required. This is a simple case of the famous Tower of Hanoi problem, in which ancient Brahman priests were required to move a pile of 64 disks of decreasing size, after which the world would end. How long did it take at a rate of one move per second. Answer by solver91311(24713) (Show Source):
N | |
0 Q | |
H | |
---------------------------------------
| | |
1 Q | |
H | N
---------------------------------------
| | |
2 | | |
H Q N
---------------------------------------
| | |
3 | N |
H Q |
---------------------------------------
| | |
4 | N |
| Q H
---------------------------------------
| | |
5 | | |
N Q H
---------------------------------------
| | |
6 | | Q
N | H
---------------------------------------
| | N
7 | | Q
| | H
---------------------------------------
For disks, moves.
64 disks at 1 move per second would take 584.54 Billion years give or take a couple of million years. Compare to the estimated age of the universe since the Big Bang at 13.772 Billion years.
John
My calculator said it, I believe it, that settles it
