River Crossing Problems
Missionaries & Cannibals puzzle (mc):
3 missionaries (MMM) and 3 cannibals (CCC) are on the left bank of a river (R). A boat (B) is available which will hold two people, and which can be navigated by any combination of missionaries and cannibals involving one or two people. If the missionaries on either bank of the river are outnumbered at any time by cannibals, the cannibals will indulge in their anthropophagic tendencies and do away with the missionaries who are outnumbered.
Find a schedule of crossings that will permit all the missionaries and cannibals to cross the river from the left bank to the right bank safely.
Let
MMMCCCBr be the start where
the boat, all missionaries and cannibals are on
the left bank, and
rMMMCCCB be the goal where the boat,
all missionaries and cannibals are on
the right bank
Jealous Husbands Problem
Three jealous husbands and their wives need to cross a river. They find a small boat that can contain no more than two persons. Find the simplest schedule of crossings that will permit all six people to cross the river so that none of the women shall be left in company with any of the men, unless her husband is present. It is assumed that all passengers on the boat unboard before the next trip and at least one person has to be in the boat for each crossing.
