Puzzle time - don't waste braindead liberals
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wrote on 14 Oct 2020, 20:37 last edited by Klaus
Assume Larry and Ax are at a fixed position in a large rectangular room with mirrors as walls. Ax is trying to attack Larry with a laser, potentially using the mirrors to reflect the laser beam (the laser can bounce arbitrarily many times). But Larry is so lucky to have a couple of disposable braindead liberals that he can place arbitrarily in the room to block a potential shot. So the situation looks something like this (for some arbitrary positions):
Larry has to place the braindead liberals before Ax aims and shoots. How many braindead liberals would Larry need to be safe, regardless of the direction in which Ax shoots, and where would they need to be placed? We all know that braindead liberals are not well fed, so we assume that they only occupy a mathematical point of space. Also, Larry has to be shot precisely in the center, so we can also assume that he only occupies a mathematical point.
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wrote on 14 Oct 2020, 20:49 last edited by
So Ax’s position is known to Larry before he places his BDLs? And Ax can’t subsequently move?
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wrote on 14 Oct 2020, 20:49 last edited by Klaus
Yes, both are at a fixed position.
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wrote on 14 Oct 2020, 21:02 last edited by
Can't we just throw a hand grenade into the room and be done with it?
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wrote on 14 Oct 2020, 21:09 last edited by
Here's an important intermediate steps to consider:
Show that you don't need "continuum" many BDLs (e.g., to form a circle around Larry) but can get by with countably many BDLs (still potentially infinitely many, but at least you can count them).
The puzzle can be solved with a finite number of BDLs, but the above intermediate step isn't trivial.
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wrote on 14 Oct 2020, 23:23 last edited by
For those who need an additional big hint. Don't look if you want the full fun
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Here's an example of how to place BDLs - in this case 16 - that will prevent any attack, regardless of how many bounces. One possible attack with two bounces is indicated in the drawing. The coordinates of the BDLs as well as Ax and Larry can also be seen. Try it out. It's a safe position for Larry.||
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wrote on 15 Oct 2020, 01:21 last edited by
Have to think more, but it seems like it would be a large number. Just thinking out loud, if Ax shoots almost horizontal, but a small angle less than that, the back and forth an infinite number of times.
Anyway, have to think more. (But still probably won't be able to discover the answer 55555)
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wrote on 15 Oct 2020, 18:51 last edited by
I wouldn't need to move. I'd simply stare at him and tell him if he moves an inch I'm going to break the rules and go over and slap him into next week, and he would shit himself and pass out.
Then I'd come looking for the guy who put me in a room with Ax.
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wrote on 15 Oct 2020, 18:58 last edited by
@George-K said in Puzzle time - don't waste braindead liberals:
@Klaus , you and @jon-nyc need to get a room.
SRSLY
Preferably one with big fuckoff lasers in it.
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wrote on 15 Oct 2020, 20:34 last edited by
Don’t post an answer yet I want to play with this tonight.
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wrote on 15 Oct 2020, 21:54 last edited by
Are the brain dead liberals the same size as Larry? They’re likely vegan, and tiny little things...
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wrote on 15 Oct 2020, 22:33 last edited by
Indeed. So tiny that they have no extension.
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wrote on 16 Oct 2020, 04:14 last edited by
Does Larry have to worry about shooting himself?
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wrote on 16 Oct 2020, 04:28 last edited by
I’m guessing it’s a countably infinite answer that is related to the primes but I still need to work on it.
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wrote on 16 Oct 2020, 04:30 last edited by
No, it's a very finite number.
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wrote on 16 Oct 2020, 04:48 last edited by
Ok. I think I can see that now... more tomorrow
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wrote on 16 Oct 2020, 09:35 last edited by Klaus
This puzzle can be solved using high school math and geometry knowledge. Actually, basically no math/geometry is involved apart from knowing how a mirror reflects a laser (incoming angle = outgoing angle).
I can add a few more hints if it is too hard (well, it is hard).
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wrote on 16 Oct 2020, 09:55 last edited by
Don’t add any hints
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wrote on 16 Oct 2020, 10:42 last edited by