Problem Solving and Creativity John Paxton paxtoncs montana

Problem Solving and Creativity John Paxton paxton@cs. montana. edu Computer Science Department Montana State University March 18, 2007

Supply the Missing Words! l 60 = M in an H l Minutes, Hour

Supply the missing words! l l l l 26 = L of the A 7 = W of the A W 1001 = A N 12 = S of the Z 54 = C in a D (with the J) 9 = P in the S S 88 = P K

Supply the missing words! l l l 13 = S on the A F 32 = D F at which W F 8 = S on a S S 200 = D for P G in M 3 = B M (S H T R) 90 = D in a R A

Supply the missing words! l l l l 4 = Q in a G 24 = H in a D 1 = W on a U 5 = D in a Z C 57 = H V 11 = P on a F T 1000 = W that a P is W

Supply the missing words! l l l 29 = D in F in a L Y 64 = S on a C 40 = D and N of the G F 80 = D to G A the W 2 = N it T to T 18 = H on a G C

What is the common phrase? bad

What is the common phrase? i 4 i

What is the common phrase? dribble

What is the common phrase beating bush beating

What is the common phrase? B B A A R R

What is the common phrase? Pot 0 0 0 0

What is the common phrase? give get

What is the common phrase? knee light

What is the common phrase? u. PLATm

What is the common phrase? D H E T A

What is the common phrase? po. FISHnd

What is the common phrase? 13579 AZ

What is the common phrase? ch poorri

What rule was used? 8549176320

Missionaries and Cannibals MMM CCC

Water Jug 4 5 2

Water Jug 8 10 4

Water Jug 10 15 5

Counterfeit Coins l l l A counterfeit coin weighs 11 g. A genuine coin weighs 10 g. A stack of coins contains 10 coins. There are 9 stacks containing only genuine coins. There is 1 counterfeit stack containing only counterfeit coins. What is the fewest number of weighings?

Lightbulb Problem l l There are three lightbulbs in one room. There are three light switches in another room. The rooms are on different floors of a building. Can you determine how the switches and bulbs are connected using one trip?

Why is a manhole cover round? l l It can’t fall in. It rolls. It won’t damage cars. It uses the least materials.

Night Crossing l l l l Person 1 takes 1 minute. Person 2 takes 2 minutes. Person 3 takes 5 minutes. Person 4 takes 10 minutes. There is one flashlight. At most two people can cross at once. How fast can the four people cross?

Ants l There are three ants at the three corners of a regular triangle. Each ant starts moving in a straight line toward another, randomly chosen corner. l What is the probability that none of the ants collide?

Billiard Balls l You have eight billiard balls. One of them is defective, meaning that it weighs more than the others. l How do you tell, using a balance, which ball is defective in two weighings?