Artigo Acesso aberto

Mind Switches in Futurama and Stargate

2014; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 87; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.4169/math.mag.87.4.252

ISSN

1930-0980

Autores

Ron Evans, Lihua Huang,

Tópico(s)

Cellular Automata and Applications

Resumo

SummaryWe generalize two mind-switching problems that arise in connection with the popular sci-fi television series Futurama and Stargate SG-1. Optimal solutions to these problems are found by answering the following question about a permutation σ expressed as a product of nontrivial disjoint cycles. "When writing σ as a product of distinct transpositions, none occurring as factors in the disjoint cycle representation of σ, what is the smallest number of transpositions that can be used?"

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