There are N closed lockers numbered 1,2,...., N, each assigned to a different person. The first of these N persons opens all lockers. The second person goes to every second locker and closes them. Then, the third person goes and alters the state of every third locker- that is, opens the locker if closed, or closes it if open. The fourth person alters the state of every fourth locker, and so on, until the last (Nth) person alters the state of just the Nth locker.
At the conclusion of this process, it is observed that the total number of closed lockers is precisely sixty-eight (68) times that of the total number of open lockers, with the total number of open lockers being a prime number.
Determine the value of N. How many lockers end up open?
(Inspired by the lockers problem submitted by Erin.)
An earlier version of the below program indicated that the number of open doors for n doors and students is [sqrt(n)] where the square brackets indicate the largest integer not larger than what's inside the brackets. Then the number of closed doors is n - [sqrt(n)] and the ratio of the latter to the former, which we want to come out as 68, is (n-[sqrt(n)])/[sqrt(n)].
To get an idea of the number, treat [sqrt(n)] as if it were sqrt(n). If ((n-sqrt(n))/sqrt(n) is set equal to 68, n would turn out to be 69^2.
n = 69^2 = 4761, leads to 4692 closed doors and 69 open ones, indeed giving the ratio of 68:1, but 69 is not prime.
The floor function complicates the equation so there could be more solutions. That led to the below program in its current form. It assumes the answer lies somewhere in the vicinity (which had to be expanded for lack of prime number of open lockers closer) of 69^2:
CLS
DEFDBL A-Z
ss = 69 * 69
FOR n = ss - 1200 TO ss + 180
REDIM lockerClosed(n)
openCt = n
FOR p = 2 TO n
FOR l = p TO n STEP p
IF lockerClosed(l) THEN
lockerClosed(l) = 0
openCt = openCt + 1
ELSE
lockerClosed(l) = 1
openCt = openCt - 1
END IF
NEXT
NEXT
closedCt = n - openCt
IF closedCt = 68 * openCt THEN
PRINT n, openCt, closedCt, closedCt / openCt
END IF
NEXT
which finds
4623 67 4556 68
4692 68 4624 68
4761 69 4692 68
So, with n = 4623, there are 67 open lockers and 4556 closed ones.
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Posted by Charlie
on 2006-06-23 16:18:51 |
computer assist (spoiler)
