Small distributed projects?

Citrix · 2006-05-19, 23:33

There are several intresting puzzles/open problems on the internet that require some one to write some code and others to run it for a 1-2 months and the puzzle/open problem can be solved.

I would like to start/suggest such a forum where people can post such problems. If the problem is intresting, people can write some code and then others can run it. Most projects here will be small, basically finished in a few weeks.

Here are a few examples of the kind of problems that can be attempted with very little computing power.

http://www.mersenneforum.org/showthread.php?t=5866
http://www.mersenneforum.org/showthread.php?t=5630
http://www.mersenneforum.org/showthread.php?t=3474

Any thoughts

jasong · 2006-05-26, 04:37

The third thread led me here.

I would very much enjoy running code for any of these projects.

bearnol · 2006-05-26, 13:27

Citrix,
wrt your third thread quoted...
It's easy to prove a^x-b^y = n [_any_ n] with slight modification of my FLT/Catalan reasoning.
J

jasong · 2006-05-28, 19:29

It obviously isn't a "small" project, but I just read in "Scientific America"(I think) that they would like to use computers to prove that there is no Sudoku puzzle with 16 numbers given that has a unique answer.

So far they've found one that has two unique answers, and they've proven it only takes 17 numbers to make a puzzle unique. But they've never found a unique puzzle with 16 numbers given.

The article said it would take about 10,000 computer years to solve with present technology.

Citrix · 2006-05-28, 22:15

I don't think there are any easy solutions to this that can be found in 2-3 weeks on a few computers.

xilman · 2006-05-29, 10:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasong

So far they've found one that has two unique answers ...

How can something have two unique answers?

Surely, if the answer is unique there must be precisely one of them.

One of us is missing something.

Paul

Citrix · 2006-05-29, 10:35

Aren't all solutions unique in themselves?

Wacky · 2006-05-29, 11:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by xilman

How can something have two unique answers?

Paul,
I think that the difficulty is a typographic spelling error. Rather than unique, I think that it should be spelled distinct, or something like that.

jasong · 2007-08-09, 21:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wacky

Paul,
I think that the difficulty is a typographic spelling error. Rather than unique, I think that it should be spelled distinct, or something like that.

Since this thread has been resurrected by a link from another thread, I'd like to say, yes, it was a typographic error.

Zeta-Flux · 2007-08-10, 15:41

I'm surprised that there isn't a distributed project to solve the 7-piece endgame problem (or the 6-piece endgame problem with castling). [For chess.]

Citrix · 2007-08-11, 03:02

Is there a reference to this problem? Any code available?

2006-05-19, 23:33	#1
Citrix Jun 2003 1,579 Posts	Small distributed projects? There are several intresting puzzles/open problems on the internet that require some one to write some code and others to run it for a 1-2 months and the puzzle/open problem can be solved. I would like to start/suggest such a forum where people can post such problems. If the problem is intresting, people can write some code and then others can run it. Most projects here will be small, basically finished in a few weeks. Here are a few examples of the kind of problems that can be attempted with very little computing power. http://www.mersenneforum.org/showthread.php?t=5866 http://www.mersenneforum.org/showthread.php?t=5630 http://www.mersenneforum.org/showthread.php?t=3474 Any thoughts Last fiddled with by Citrix on 2007-08-11 at 04:51

2006-05-26, 13:27	#3
bearnol Sep 2005 127 Posts	UPINT D9 Citrix, wrt your third thread quoted... It's easy to prove a^x-b^y = n [_any_ n] with slight modification of my FLT/Catalan reasoning. J

2006-05-28, 22:15	#5
Citrix Jun 2003 1,579 Posts	I don't think there are any easy solutions to this that can be found in 2-3 weeks on a few computers. Last fiddled with by Citrix on 2006-05-28 at 22:41

2007-08-10, 15:41	#10
Zeta-Flux May 2003 7×13×17 Posts	I'm surprised that there isn't a distributed project to solve the 7-piece endgame problem (or the 6-piece endgame problem with castling). [For chess.] Last fiddled with by Zeta-Flux on 2007-08-10 at 15:41

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2006-05-26, 04:37	#2
jasong "Jason Goatcher" Mar 2005 5·701 Posts	The third thread led me here. I would very much enjoy running code for any of these projects.

2006-05-28, 19:29	#4
jasong "Jason Goatcher" Mar 2005 DB1₁₆ Posts	It obviously isn't a "small" project, but I just read in "Scientific America"(I think) that they would like to use computers to prove that there is no Sudoku puzzle with 16 numbers given that has a unique answer. So far they've found one that has two unique answers, and they've proven it only takes 17 numbers to make a puzzle unique. But they've never found a unique puzzle with 16 numbers given. The article said it would take about 10,000 computer years to solve with present technology.

2006-05-29, 10:35	#7
Citrix Jun 2003 1,579 Posts	Aren't all solutions unique in themselves?

2007-08-11, 03:02	#11
Citrix Jun 2003 1,579 Posts	Is there a reference to this problem? Any code available?