Solving Chop Games with Nim Heap Equivalent: Problem 1

In summary, the conversation discusses finding a nim heap equivalent to an i x j game of Chop. The game involves two players taking turns making vertical or horizontal chops on an i x j array of boxes, with the goal of being the last player to move. The task is to generalize the result by finding a formula for the nim heap equivalent to any i x j game of Chop. The speaker shares their approach of starting with small base cases and determining the smallest value not present in the corresponding row and column. They provide an example and share their results for i,j=11. However, they are unsure of where to go from there and ask for help.
  • #1
roadrunner
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1) Problem 1 For every i; j with 1<=i; j<=8 fi nd a nim heap which is equivalent to the i x j
game of Chop.

CHOP Game Start with an i x j array of boxes viewed as a plank which
is secured only at the lower left hand corner. Each player is a
pirate, and they alternate turns. On each turn a player must
either make a vertical or horizontal chop of the plank, and then
any piece no longer connected to the lower left hand corner falls
off into the water. The player who moves last wins.


What I need to do
Generalize the result of Problem 1 by finding a general formula for the nim heap
equivalent to an i x j game of Chop.

What I did

Essentially the way we were showed in class was to start with a 1x1 and then 1x2, 2x2, 2x3,3x3,etc chop game and determine the "small base cases" and work our way up. after we had a 2x2 grid,

1 0
0 1

He said that each new board was simple the smallest value not present in the corresponding row and column.

For example: If i had the below configuration and wanted to know X, I would look at the 2,3,0 and 2,3 and notice that no 1 is present, therefore X=1

2 3 0 X
1 0 3 2
0 1 2 3

I did this up to i,j=11

10 11 8 9 14 15 12 13 2 3 0
9 8 11 10 13 12 15 14 1 0 3
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 0 1 2
7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 15 14 13
6 7 4 5 2 3 0 1 14 15 12
5 4 7 6 1 0 3 2 13 12 15
4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 12 13 14
3 2 1 0 7 6 5 4 11 10 9
2 3 0 1 6 7 4 5 10 11 8
1 0 3 2 5 4 7 6 9 8 11
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10


I can see some patterns in the table but none that apply in all cases...I have no idea where to go with this!

Thanks


PS: SOrry the grid doesn't line up perfectly, not sure how to do ASCII in here or post a table
 
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What is a Chop Game?

A Chop Game is a two-player mathematical game that involves removing objects from a pile or heaps. The player who removes the last object from the pile wins the game.

What is Nim Heap Equivalent?

Nim Heap Equivalent is a mathematical concept used in solving Chop Games. It is a way of representing a pile of objects by converting it into a binary number. The binary number is then used to determine the winning strategy for the game.

How do you solve Chop Games using Nim Heap Equivalent?

To solve a Chop Game using Nim Heap Equivalent, you first need to convert the piles of objects into binary numbers. Then, you need to use the bitwise XOR operation to find the Nim Heap Equivalent of the game. Finally, using the Nim Heap Equivalent, you can determine the winning strategy for the game.

What is the winning strategy for Chop Games with Nim Heap Equivalent?

The winning strategy for Chop Games with Nim Heap Equivalent is based on the concept of "Nim Sum". The player who is faced with an odd Nim Sum will always have a winning move, while the player faced with an even Nim Sum will always lose. This strategy can be applied to any Chop Game that can be converted into a Nim Heap Equivalent.

What are the applications of solving Chop Games with Nim Heap Equivalent?

Solving Chop Games with Nim Heap Equivalent has applications in various fields, such as computer science, game theory, and cryptography. It can be used to analyze and predict outcomes in various games and also has applications in coding theory and network security.

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