3 ms·
Couldn't I start in a "tail" leading to a cycle that doesn't include my name? Suppose my name is "A", and I proceed: check box A - read name B; check box B - r
by rntz 10y ago
Couldn't I start in a "tail" leading to a cycle that doesn't include my name? Suppose my name is "A", and I proceed:
check box A - read name B;
check box B - read name C;
check box C - read name B
and now I'm in a B-C loop, and will never find my name.
- agf 10y agoRe-read your scenario -- you have both box A and box C containing name B, but the problem statement says each name appears only once. So you can't get into cycles like this.
- rntz 10y agoAh, of course! That guarantees there are no "tails"; every name (& box) is part of exactly one cycle. And this is then a property of cycles of permutations generally. Thanks!
- hundt 10y agoNo, because in your example both boxes A and C have name B in them. That's against the rules.
- twoodfin 10y agoNo, then "B" would be in two boxes: A and C.