Table 23.2
Four monster problems
- Monster Problem (Transfer Form 1)
Three five-handed extraterrestrial monsters were holding three crystal globes. Because of the
quantum-mechanical peculiarities of their neighborhood, both monsters and globes come in
exactly threesizes with no others permitted: small, medium, andlarge.Themedium-sizedmon-
ster was holding the small globe; the small monster was holding the large glove; and the large
monster was holding the medium-sized globe. Because this situation offended their keenly
developedsenseofsymmetry,theyproceededtotransferglobesfromonemonstertoanotherso
thateachmonster wouldhave aglobe proportionate toits own size.
Monsteretiquette complicated the solutionof the problem because it requires that:- only one globe may be transferredat atime;
- ifa monsterisholding twoglobes,only thelargerof thetwomay betransferred;
- a globe may not be transferred to amonster who is holding alarger globe.
Bywhatsequence of transferscouldthe monstershave solvedthis problem?
- Monster Problem (Transfer Form 2)
Threefive-handedextraterrestrialmonsterswerestandingonthreecrystalglobes.Becauseofthe
quantum-mechanical peculiarities of their neighborhood, both monsters and globes come in
exactly threesizes with no others permitted: small, medium, andlarge.Themedium-sizedmon-
sterwasstandingonthesmallglobe;thesmallmonsterwasstandingonthelargeglobe;andthe
large monster was standing on the medium-sized globe. Because this situation offended their
keenly developed sense of symmetry, they proceeded to transfer themselves from one globe to
anotherso that each monsterwould have a globe proportionate to itsown size.
Monsteretiquette complicated the solutionof the problem because it requires that:- only one monster maybe transferred ata time;
2.iftwomonstersarestandingonthesameglobe,onlythelargerofthetwomaybetransferred; - a monstermay not be transferred to a globe on which alarger monsterisstanding.
Bywhatsequence of transferscouldthe monstershave solvedthis problem?
- only one monster maybe transferred ata time;
- Monster Problem (Change Form 1)
Three five-handed extraterrestrial monsters were holding three crystal globes. Because of the
quantum-mechanical peculiarities of their neighborhood, both monsters and globes come in
exactly threesizes with no others permitted: small, medium, andlarge.Themedium-sizedmon-
ster was holding the small globe; the small monster was holding the large globe; and the large
monster was holding the medium-sized globe. Because this situation offended their keenly
developedsenseofsymmetry,theyproceededtoshrinkandexpandglobessothateachmonster
wouldhaveaglobeproportionatetoitsownsize.
Monsteretiquette complicated the solutionof the problem because it requires that:- only one globe may be changedat atime;
- iftwoglobeshavethesamesize,onlytheglobeheldbythelargermonstermaybechanged;
- a globe may not be changed to the same size as the globe of alarger monster.
Bywhatsequence of changescouldthe monsters have solvedthisproblem?
- Monster Problem (Change Form 2)
Three five-handed extraterrestrial monsters were holding three crystal globes. Because of the
quantum-mechanical peculiarities of their neighborhood, both monsters and globes come in
exactly threesizes with no others permitted: small, medium, andlarge.Themedium-sizedmon-
ster was holding the small globe; the small monster was holding the large globe; and the large
monster was holding the medium-sized globe. Because this situation offended their keenly
developed sense of symmetry, they proceeded to shrink and expand themselves so that each
monsterwouldhave a globe proportion toits own size.
562 John R.Hayes