[Guest]

You are a policeman in search of a thief hiding in a hotel with 5 rooms-1,2,3,4,5...

The thief changes rooms every night and the policemen can search only one room every morning...

the thief starts from room no. X and follows this rule- the next night he will either go into room no. X+2 or room no. X*2...if the no. exceeds 5 say such a no. is Y then he will go into the room Y-5...

this rule is known to the policemen...what search srategy shud they employ to catch the thief in min. number of days....

i know the ans to the puzzle and i had even vaguely figured out how... but i don't know the exact reason... i think i'll get some help here...

have fun...

[Guest]

A question: if the thief is in room five can he stay there? Because 5*2 = 10 and 10 - 5 = 5

[Guest]

A question: if the thief is in room five can he stay there? Because 5*2 = 10 and 10 - 5 = 5

no the thief cannot stay in the same room for more than a day...so he will be compelled to follow- 5+2=7

7-5=2...ie go to room no.2

[plainglazed]

I think looking in rooms in this order - 2,3,4,4,3,4 finds the thief in 6 days.

[Guest]

If he is in 1, he must have been in either 3 or 4 yesterday.

If he is in 2, he must have been in either 1 or 5 yesterday.

If he is in 3, he must have been in either 1 or 4 yesterday.

If he is in 4, he must have been in 2 yesterday.

If he is in 5, he must have been in 3 yesterday.

The key here is Room 4 and Room 5 as they have only one possibility.

Possible Rooms    Police Check

1,2,3,4,5                2

1,2,3,5                  3

2,3,4                    4

1,4,5                    4

2,3                      3

4                        4

[Guest]

gosh i'm sooo sorry ppl i dint reply to this.....the answer is correct

and thnx!!!

[Guest]

I think looking in rooms in this order - 2,3,4,4,3,4 finds the thief in 6 days.

its 8 days

it will be 2 3 3 1 1 1 4 4

use your head to find it why it is so.

[Guest]

its 8 days

it will be 2 3 3 1 1 1 4 4

use your head to find it why it is so.

yeah i did it wrong its 6 only... 234434

[Guest]

You are a policeman in search of a thief hiding in a hotel with 5 rooms-1,2,3,4,5...

The thief changes rooms every night and the policemen can search only one room every morning...

the thief starts from room no. X and follows this rule- the next night he will either go into room no. X+2 or room no. X*2...if the no. exceeds 5 say such a no. is Y then he will go into the room Y-5...

this rule is known to the policemen...what search srategy shud they employ to catch the thief in min. number of days....

i know the ans to the puzzle and i had even vaguely figured out how... but i don't know the exact reason... i think i'll get some help here...

have fun...

Here's what I got. Have no idea if it's most efficient though:

Look in 3 (thief won't be in 5 next day)

Look in 1 (if not in 5 or 1, 2 will be empty next day)

Look in 3 (4 and 5 will be empty next day)

Look in 1 (He can only be in 2 or 3, so next day he can only be in 1, 4, 5)

Look in 1 (Now he can only be on 4 or 5)

Look in 3 (If not there, he has to be in 2)

Look 4 and you got him

So, I get 6 days. This one was fun.

[Guest]

Here's what I got. Have no idea if it's most efficient though:

Look in 3 (thief won't be in 5 next day)

Look in 1 (if not in 5 or 1, 2 will be empty next day)

Look in 3 (4 and 5 will be empty next day)

Look in 1 (He can only be in 2 or 3, so next day he can only be in 1, 4, 5)

Look in 1 (Now he can only be on 4 or 5)

Look in 3 (If not there, he has to be in 2)

Look 4 and you got him

So, I get 6 days. This one was fun.

I see my mistake. Nevermind.....