GROOVY math game!!

Imparcticle

Aloha!

When we have nothing better to do in my math class, my teacher likes to play this game that I'm going to tell you about. Ok, this is how it works. One person picks a number. In my class, we always make it a 3 digit number, but I suppose you smart alleck physics people could do for more complex numbers? Or should we keep it simple? How about the person picking the number says the number of digits of the number.
Anywho, the other players guess what the number is, and the person who picked the number catagorizes the guessed numbers in the following fashion:

And by utilizing their logical deduction abilities, the player can guess the correct number. The player who guesses the correct number can come up with his or her own number for everyone else to guess.

To prevent anyone from cheating, (and changing the number while everyone is still guessing) I suggest the "number-picker" tells the number to a certain amount of people. Does anyone have a suggestion concerning this rule?

tribdog

I"m not sure how this game is played but I'm game. I'll start out with a little number to get the hang of it. I'm thinking of a one digit number between 0 and 2. I'll give you 3 guesses.

dduardo

no no no, tribdog you got it all wrong. Here is how the game is played.

Say I pick the number 1234

Now someone guesses the number to be 1993

I will reply by saying one digit is in the right position and one digit is in the number but not in the right position

Then someone else will guess 1239

I will then reply by saying three digits are in the right place

Finally someone else will guess 1234

I will then reply by saying you correctly guessed the number

------------------------------

Ok, i've written down an eight digit number, let the guessing commence.

chroot

Since when is there nothing better than this to do in MATH CLASS?

- Warren

tribdog

I guess you need to be a real "Mastermind"tm to figure this one out right?

dduardo

yay, you figured out what the game is called. :)

tribdog

I'm sure there is a strategy I should use, but I don't know what that strategy is so I'll just guess a number. If I get it right on the first guess though I want a dollar.

87609548

Hurkyl

IIRC, there's a fixed sequence of guesses you can make that will allow you to name the answer on the next try, and I think in a minimal average number of tries too.

tribdog

oh, I can give the answer on the next try, but not the correct answer. or maybe I can. is the answer 32?

dduardo

5 digits are in the wrong position

tribdog

12345687 ?

dduardo

7 digits are in the wrong position

Imparcticle

You also have to say how many numbers are correct in addition to how many are in the correct place.

87609485?

dduardo

5 in the wrong position
0 in the correct position (Same for above responses)

Imparcticle

How many numbers are in this mystery number?

guesses:

78609458
67809548
07685984

tribdog

lol, you all know I shouldn't be the one guessing because I'm not going to take it seriously and I'll turn it into a joke. but since I've already started guessing I'll keep going. my next guess is:

87609485

see I'm screwing around already.

dduardo

SquareItSalamander,

1. 5 correct digits, 0 in the right place
2. 5 correct digits, 0 in the right place
3. 5 correct digits, 0 in the right place

Tribdog

5 correct digits 0 in the right place