Search arXivSearch

arXiv · 1407.3613

ApSimon's Mint Problem with Three or More Weighings

Abstract

ApSimon considered the problem of deciding by a process of two weighings on which of a known number of mints emit either coins of a known genuine weight or emit coins of a different secondary but unknown weight. The combinatorial problem consists of finding two sets of coin numbers to be loaded on the tray for each of the weighings, and then to minimize the total count of coins to be drawn from all mints for these two weighings. This work yields numerical results for the generalized problem which allows three or more weighings to settle which of the mints produce either sort of coins.

Explore related subjects

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Richard J. Mathar. 2014-07-14. ApSimon's Mint Problem with Three or More Weighings. https://arxiv.org/abs/1407.3613

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

Adjunctions, Box Products, and Forcing Families

Sidorenko's conjecture states that the number of copies of any given bipartite graph in another graph of given density is asymptotically minimized by a random graph. For bipartite graphs containing a cycle, the forcing conjecture further asserts that asymptotic equality characterizes quasi-random graphs. We establish an adjoint identity for a general class of graph-substitution operators and use it to obtain Sidorenko and forcing results for balanced blow-ups, subdivisions, Cartesian products, and strong products.

math.CO

On the Cost Number of Graphs with Determining Number Two

A distinguishing vertex coloring of a graph $G$ is a vertex coloring such that only the identity automorphism of $G$ preserves the coloring. A graph is $2$-distinguishable if it admits a distinguishing vertex coloring with two colors, and its cost $ρ(G)$ is the minimum size of a color class in such a coloring. The determining number of a graph $G$, denoted by $Det(G)$, is the minimum size of a subset $S\subseteq V(G)$ such that only the trivial automorphism fixes every element of $S$ pointwise. Boutin (J. Combin. Math. Combin. Comput. 85: 161-171, 2013) asked if $ρ(G)$ and $Det(G)$ can be arbitrarily far apart. While the case for $Det(G) = 1$ is trivial, the answer remained unknown for $Det(G) \ge 2$. In this manuscript, we show that if $Det(G)=2$ then not only is $ρ(G)$ bounded, but in fact $ρ(G) \leq 4$. This is the first resolution of Boutin's question for any nontrivial fixed determining number. Moreover, for every fixed $Det(G)= n$, we construct examples giving a lower bound on any possible upper bound for $ρ(G)$ in terms of $n$.

math.CO