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Re: Programming Probability of puzzle in Mathematica

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg44922] Re: Programming Probability of puzzle in Mathematica
  • From: drbob at bigfoot.com (Bobby R. Treat)
  • Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2003 03:32:32 -0500 (EST)
  • References: <br19mm$7ri$1@smc.vnet.net>
  • Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

I get a very different result for the following:

Count[Flatten@KSubsets[Range@9,3],#]&/@Range@9

{28,28,28,28,28,28,28,28,28}

and I don't follow how your result implies your next statement.

Bobby

Bill Rowe <readnewscix at mail.earthlink.net> wrote in message news:<br19mm$7ri$1 at smc.vnet.net>...
> On 12/7/03 at 6:03 AM, mathtutoring at comcast.net (art burke) wrote:
> 
> > I'd like to come up with several small programs that compute the
> > probability of random numbers being inserted into let's say, a magic
> > cube, triangle, or such that all rows, columns, and diagonals add up
> > to a certain number.
>  
> > Let's say a 3x3 magic square, using the numbers 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 and 9.
> > Of course, if you know how to put them into the magic square, all
> > rows, diagonals, and columns add up to 15.
>  
> > Having Mathematica insert random numbers in cells, compute all sums
> > and see if it has it correct, and keep up the repetions until it comes
> > up with an average probability, let's say after 1000 tries....What
> > would be the probability?
> 
> Essentially, 0
> 
> Taking your example of a 3 x 3 square and the numbers 1 though 9, there are 9! = 362880 different ways to arrange these numbers in a 3 x 3 array.
> 
> <<DiscreteMath`
> Length@Select[KSubsets[Range@9,3],Tr@#==15&]
> 
> Shows there are only 8 subsets of the 9 digits that add to 15. Further,
> 
> Count[Flatten@KSubsets[Range@9,3],#]&/@Range@9 results in
> 
> {2, 3, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 3, 2}
> 
> showing the only possible arangements that meet the magic square requirement are rotations and reflections of
> 
> 8 3 4
> 1 5 9
> 6 7 2
> 
> If  I've counted correctly, this means 8 possible magic squares.
> 
> So the probability of a randomly chosen arrangement being a magic square is
> 
> 8/9! = 1/45360, or in other words you will need on average to try 45360 random arrangements to get one magic square.
> 
> > I've been quit interested in this for a while, but am wondering how it
> > would be done??
> 
> <<DiscreteMath`
> a = Partition[RandomPermutation@9,3]
> 
> will generate a random 3 x 3 array of the 9 digits and assign it to a. Then
> 
> Flatten@{Tr/@a, Tr@a, Tr/@Transpose@a, Tr@Reverse@a}
> 
> will give you the sums


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