Two merchants have 5 camels each. One fine day, one of the merchants sold all of his goods in the market and heads back to the village. He has to cross a bridge to reach his destination, and the bridge is only wide enough for 1 camel.
At the same time, the other merchant is heading to the market to sell his goods and must cross the same bridge. Alas! They meet up in the middle of the bridge one camel-length from each other. They are both stubborn and won't back up their camels. Fortunately, the first merchant's camels are spry and unladen and are able to jump over another camel. Can both merchants get their camels across the bridge?(Both merchant camels can jump)
Answer
Depending on how well I understood the question it is possible.
It is possible if either a) any camel can jump over any other camel (based on "Both merchant camels can jump") or b) if the camels can walk backwards as long as they never end up behind where they started.
a:
XXXXX_OOOOO
XXXX_XOOOOO
XXXXOX_OOOO
XXXXOXO_OOO
XXXXO_OXOOO
XXX_OXOXOOO
XX_XOXOXOOO
XXOX_XOXOOO
XXOXOX_XOOO
XXOXOXOX_OO
XXOXOXOXO_O
XXOXOXO_OXO
XXOXO_OXOXO
XXO_OXOXOXO
X_OXOXOXOXO
_XOXOXOXOXO
OX_XOXOXOXO
OXOX_XOXOXO
OXOXOX_XOXO
OXOXOXOX_XO
OXOXOXOXOX_
OXOXOXOXO_X
OXOXOXO_OXX
OXOXO_OXOXX
OXO_OXOXOXX
O_OXOXOXOXX
OO_XOXOXOXX
OOOX_XOXOXX
OOOXOX_XOXX
OOOXOXOX_XX
OOOXOXO_XXX
OOOXO_OXXXX
OOO_OXOXXXX
OOOO_XOXXXX
OOOOOX_XXXX
OOOOO_XXXXX
B (X can jump):
XXXXX_OOOOO
XXXXXO_OOOO
XXXX_OXOOOO
XXXXOXO_OOO
XXXXO_OXOOO
XXX_OXOXOOO
XXXOXOXO_OO
XXXOXO_OXOO
XXXO_OXOXOO
XX_OXOXOXOO
XXOXOXOXO_O
XXOXOXO_OXO
XXOXO_OXOXO
XXO_OXOXOXO
X_OXOXOXOXO
XOXOXOXOXO_
XOXOXOXO_OX
XOXOXO_OXOX
XOXO_OXOXOX
XO_OXOXOXOX
_OXOXOXOXOX
OXOXOXOXOX_
OXOXOXOXO_X
OXOXOXO_OXX
OXOXO_OXOXX
OXO_OXOXOXX
O_OXOXOXOXX
OOXOXOXO_XX
OOXOXO_OXXX
OOXO_OXOXXX
OO_OXOXOXXX
OOOXOXO_XXX
OOOXO_OXXXX
OOO_OXOXXXX
OOOOXO_XXXX
OOOO_OXXXXX
OOOOO_XXXXX
It would all have been easier if they'd just backed up a bit.
No comments:
Post a Comment