Indcidence Matrices: Answer to Floor Paths Question is 14, Not 31?

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In summary: The question asks for the number of paths from floor 1 to floor 2, and we can represent this as the entry in the matrix ##A^8## at row 1, column 2. This entry is 14, so the correct answer is 14.
  • #1
John112
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Should the right answer to this question(below) be 14 and not 31? because
A[itex]_{ij}[/itex][itex]^{k}[/itex] means number of paths from i to j of length K. So A[itex]_{12}[/itex][itex]^{8}[/itex] = 14

We then represent the graph as indcidence matrices and go from there on:

A = { {0,1,0,0}, {1,0,1,0}, {1,1,0,1}, {1,0,0,0} }

A[itex]^{8} = { {22,14,13,4}, {31,35,14,13}, {40,31,22,10}, {10,13,4,5} }

QUESTION:
At each step the elevator is able to travel directly from floor to floor as listed below. Suppose we go floor to floor eight times (e.g 1 to 2 then 2 to 3 would be two times). How many different ways can we start at floor 1 and end at floor 2?

floor 1 to floor 2
floor 2 to floor 3
floor 3 to floor 4
floor 4 to floor 1
floor 2 to floor 1
floor 3 to floor 1
floor 3 to floor 2


Correct Answer in the back of the book: 31
 
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  • #2
John112 said:
Should the right answer to this question(below) be 14 and not 31? because
A[itex]_{ij}[/itex][itex]^{k}[/itex] means number of paths from i to j of length K. So A[itex]_{12}[/itex][itex]^{8}[/itex] = 14

We then represent the graph as indcidence matrices and go from there on:



A[itex]^{8} = [/itex]

QUESTION:
At each step the elevator is able to travel directly from floor to floor as listed below. Suppose we go floor to floor eight times (e.g 1 to 2 then 2 to 3 would be two times). How many different ways can we start at floor 1 and end at floor 2?

floor 1 to floor 2
floor 2 to floor 3
floor 3 to floor 4
floor 4 to floor 1
floor 2 to floor 1
floor 3 to floor 1
floor 3 to floor 2


Correct Answer in the back of the book: 31

I would not call the book's answer "correct"; I get exactly the same ##A^8## answer as you.
 
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  • #3
Ray Vickson said:
I would not call the book's answer "correct"; I get exactly the same ##A^8## answer as you.

I guess they mixed it up then, I guess 31 is the answer from floor 2 to floor 1 then. Thanks for the reply.
 
  • #4
I agree. Quibble: the matrix is the adjacency matrix, not the incidence matrix, right?
 

1. What are incidence matrices?

Incidence matrices are mathematical structures used to represent relationships between objects or events. They are often used in graph theory and linear algebra to describe the connections or interactions between different elements.

2. How are incidence matrices used?

Incidence matrices can be used in a variety of fields, including computer science, engineering, and social sciences. They can be used to model networks, transportation systems, and communication structures, among others.

3. Can incidence matrices be used to solve real-world problems?

Yes, incidence matrices can be used to solve various real-world problems. For example, they can be used to determine the shortest path in a transportation network or to optimize the flow of resources in a supply chain.

4. What is the "Floor Paths Question" and how does it relate to incidence matrices?

The "Floor Paths Question" is a mathematical problem that involves finding the number of possible paths between two points on a grid. It relates to incidence matrices because it can be solved using an incidence matrix, where the rows represent the starting point of each path and the columns represent the end point of each path.

5. Why is the answer to the "Floor Paths Question" 14 and not 31?

The answer to the "Floor Paths Question" is 14 because the problem asks for the number of possible paths, not the length of the paths. Therefore, duplicate paths that follow the same route are not counted. Additionally, the paths cannot backtrack, further reducing the number of possible paths.

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