Impossible Math Question?

[Tps222]

If you want a million dollars, the Clay Mathematics Institute is offering such to anyone who can
solve Minesweeper efficiently. Unfortunately, this is much harder than simply finishing a game.

Richard Kaye, of Birmingham University, proved that Minesweeper is an NP-complete problem.
If one NP-complete problem can be solved efficiently then all can be solved. Most mathematicians
do not believe this is possible. If you prove this to be the case you will also win the money.

P problems can be solved in polynomial time: when you increase the number of choices, the
solving time increases by a determined power. The goal is to prove P=NP.

A famous NP problem is a travelling salesman who must find the shortest route to visit several
cities. Simple at first, but the number of potential routes and the time to analyse them increases
drastically! After only 10 cities there are 3628800 routes to analyse. After 100 cities your
algorithm must scan 9.3 x 10157 possible routes. This is greater than the number of atoms in the
universe: the military uses NP codes because you will not live to find the solution!

However, if you could write a Minesweeper solver where the calculations, thus time, only
increased by a power, you would have created a very efficient solver.

Interestingly, this may still mean some problems will not be solveable in your lifetime. Yet, it
also means military codes can be cracked and you could earn a lot more than a million dollars!

I'm not in a high enough math to even attempt to think of the solution, but I know a lot of you are great at it. To me, it seems quite impossible and pointless, but if want to give it a go, I'd like to see your train of thought. Note:I realize many of the world's greatest mathematicians say there isn't a solution.

[Kilgamayan]

Re: Impossible Math Question?

You want FFR to solve the P=NP problem? Why not ask us to prove the Riemann Hypothesis while you're at it? >_>

[Tps222]

Re: Impossible Math Question?

I already said I don't know what it is. I also said I realize that mathematicians globally can't solve it. I was just wondering your thoughts on it.

[Kilgamayan]

Re: Impossible Math Question?

My thoughts are that it (along with the other six Clay Millennium Problems) aren't worth my time because they're all too far over my head, and $1mil isn't nearly enough to compensate for all the aggravation one would need to put into solving one.

[Doug31]

Re: Impossible Math Question?

It's impossible. I've set it up so that almost the entire thing was mines, and I got the number 8 to appear after the first place I clicked. gg, unless you get really lucky with another guess.

[Wilkin]

Re: Impossible Math Question?

The game determines where the mines are at the first click. Then you can never immediately lose.

[Tokzic]

Re: Impossible Math Question?

I tried one of the Clay million dollar problems - the one about finding a pattern between prime numbers, I think it was?

In any case I jotted out like ten pages before saying, "Hell with this."

[Kains_Avenger_Killer]

Re: Impossible Math Question?

Just help him, it sounds confusing. When did FFR=Math?

[spyke252]

Re: Impossible Math Question?

Eh.
It seems CompSci would help a lot as well.
But anyways.
Eh.

[Reach]

Re: Impossible Math Question?

Ah, P=NP

Firstly, noone has even shown that it is possible or impossible to solve (in polynomial time). So, it seems wasteful that one might spend time on it if it isn't actually solvable. P might not = NP. Though, if you could prove P didn't equal NP you could probably get the prize as well.


You're going to have to develop a new algorithm in order to solve it. No current method gives any type of real solution. It requires the use of superpolynomial time (imperfect solution).

[Tasselfoot]

Re: Impossible Math Question?

lol... the math genius in Numb3rs spends some of his free time in a few of the season 1 episodes trying to solve P=NP and can't.

[Vests]

Re: Impossible Math Question?

Anything can be solved at some point, just takes a lot of work . Hell we have thousands of computers working on finding a end to Pi, why not start a endless calculation string on this equation?

[8Shade8]

Re: Impossible Math Question?

If this is possible to solve, then there is only one person in the universe who can solve it without a computer:
Steven Hawkins

I suggest that you write him a letter, have one of his nursing home people wipe the drool off of it every five seconds and have him solve the problem. If there is anyone in the world who can solve it he can.

N=NP

This calculation can work if N=2 and P=1. LOL. It also works if all of the variables are denoted as zero. Actually, it will always work if P=1. LOL whatever.
I am a huge mathmatics person, and I also used to watch numbers. If they cant solve it even as actors, then screw that, I wont even try. I was in Calc 2 before I left texas (I am now going to the army to interrogat people) and I cant even come close to understanding the complex concept behind that calculation.

[8Shade8]

Re: Impossible Math Question?

They offer a million dollars knowing that it is an unanswered question. Thats like asking the FFR community (with a million dollars at steak) what came first the chicken or the egg. It can't be answered without some huge debate. We would need a few super computers to run that, and FFR's server couldn't cut it. LOL.

[Tasselfoot]

Re: Impossible Math Question?

1. don't double post.
2. this is CT... don't be stupid. Steven HawkinG is a physicist, not a mathematician.
3. your absolutely basic grasp of the concept is not helpful towards any kind of discussion
4. That's. stake. which. interrogate. mathematics. etc, etc, etc...