Thread: need help with quadratics question

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I don't think this has anything to do with quadratics..?

Basically there are three different symbols, B, G, and -, and the only move you're allowed to make is swapping two adjacent symbols (B/G swapping with - is your first rule and B/G swapping with adjacent B/G is your second)... and apparently you need to turn B B B B B B B - G G G G G G G into G G G G G G G - B B B B B B B via such swaps (the individual people aren't distinct beyond their gender, right?). When the problem is expressed in this simple way, it doesn't seem to me like it should be very difficult...

i think your misunderstanding the moves. lets say we start out with this G G - B B. we CAN swap a B or G with an adjacent -, but we can't SWAP a B/G with a B/G, we have to leapfrog them.
Example for leapfrogging: G G - B B ---> - G G B B.

i hope that clears it up a little

So, one person, can jump over one and only one other person (irrespective of gender..?), if this lands them where the empty space is?

yes that is completely right

Hum, how could we use mathematics to represent this then? I can see how a program can use an array to simulate and shift the values around according to the rules to achieve the desired result, but as far as obtaining the least number of moves..

Lawdy, I sure can't wait to see what Xei comes up with. Mein interest is piqued.