tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433841880619171855.post8628342634437166912..comments2024-03-27T21:09:44.320+00:00Comments on Pat'sBlog: Survivor... Black or White?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433841880619171855.post-78309400680587555592011-07-19T12:32:41.587+01:002011-07-19T12:32:41.587+01:00Jeffo,
Thanks, I believe the link is corrected n...Jeffo, <br />Thanks, I believe the link is corrected now, and thanks to Alexander Bogomolny, too.Pat's Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15234744401613958081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433841880619171855.post-71637875533313285372011-07-18T13:11:01.486+01:002011-07-18T13:11:01.486+01:00Incidentally, the "Cut the Knot" link wa...Incidentally, the "Cut the Knot" link was broken for me. Can you update?Jeffohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06989946392105339862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433841880619171855.post-17557272931598215052011-07-18T13:09:16.277+01:002011-07-18T13:09:16.277+01:00Every move preserves the parity of white balls (i....Every move preserves the parity of white balls (i.e., keeps it an odd number) and changes the parity of black balls. Since the total number of balls reduces with every move, eventually there will be just one (the least odd number) white ball, and some number (possibly zero) black balls. All possible moves at that point reduce the number of black balls, and do not change the number of white balls. Therefore, eventually there will be no black balls and one white ball remaining.Jeffohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06989946392105339862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433841880619171855.post-76926742194610808202011-07-17T18:39:10.058+01:002011-07-17T18:39:10.058+01:00It looks like it would be impossible to run out of...It looks like it would be impossible to run out of white balls, so I would have to say white.Þórsteinnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11089502298308175165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433841880619171855.post-60867593144014606302011-07-17T18:18:32.056+01:002011-07-17T18:18:32.056+01:00Ahh, but it is possible to change the result.Ahh, but it is possible to change the result.Sue VanHattumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10237941346154683902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433841880619171855.post-2996082015379996682011-07-17T18:12:48.912+01:002011-07-17T18:12:48.912+01:00Sue V,
Logic is the key here, think Parity... rem...Sue V,<br /><br />Logic is the key here, think Parity... reminds me a little of covering a checkerboard with dominoes if the two opposite corners are cut off... that kind of thing... It would make no difference if there were 975 white and 2000 black.... Good luck, I imageine you will see a solution here soon if you are not the first... (surely at least ONE of my ex-students will have a go...)Pat's Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15234744401613958081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433841880619171855.post-26201604462137613482011-07-17T17:42:52.766+01:002011-07-17T17:42:52.766+01:00The probabilities looked so complicated, I wanted ...The probabilities looked so complicated, I wanted to program a simulation. I tried first in Scratch, and then used Excel. <br /><br />What I saw there made me think I ought to be able to use logic to figure this out (starting with end results and working backward), but so far, no luck.Sue VanHattumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10237941346154683902noreply@blogger.com