Here is my solution. I suddenly remembered it was in my outbox!! :rotfl:
I also saw a typo... it was "do" instead of "to" in the question....
'The point of this program is to solve
'the Kangaroo Problem, defined as follows:
'There are N kangaroos crossing a bridge from both sides.
'(so 2N kangaroos total)
'
'They need to get to their respective other sides.
'The only problem is that the bridge is so narrow
'that they can only move forward and not sideways.
'
'At first the kangaroos line up like this: >>>_<<< (n = 3)
'They need to line up like this: <<<_>>>
'
'Kangaroos can HOP and JUMP.
'A kangaroo HOP moves the Kangaroo forward one space: >_ to _>
'A kangaroo JUMP moves the Kangaroo forward two spaces: ><_ to >_>
'
'How to HOP and JUMP the kangaroos to the other side?
'(two kangaroos can't occupy one space!)
'HINT Try to solve the problems with small N's first!
'
'
'
'
'ANALYSIS
'An analysis of the problem proceeds in the following fashion:
'Try to solve N = 1 through N = 4 yourself, and look at any patterns emerging.
'You will then be able to extrapolate the general method...
' Try N=1
'>_< 0) they meet 2
'_>< 1) hop one space HOP > ++ 1
'<>_ 2) jump one space JUMP < -- 3
'<_> 3) hop one space: done HOP > ++ 2
' Now try N=2
'>>_<< 0) they meet 3
'>_><< 1) hop one space HOP > ++ 2
'><>_< 2) jump one space JUMP < -- 4
'><><_ 3) hop one space HOP < +- 5
'><_<> 4) jump one space JUMP > -+ 3
'_<><> 5) jump one space JUMP > -+ 1
'<_><> 6) hop one space HOP < +- 2
'<<>_> 7) jump one space JUMP < -- 4
'<<_>> 8) hop one space HOP > ++ 3
' Now try N=3
'>>>_<<< 00) they meet 4
'>>_><<< 01) hop one space HOP > ++ 3 -1
'>><>_<< 02) jump one space JUMP < -- 5 +2
'>><><_< 03) hop one space HOP < +- 6 +1
'>><_<>< 04) jump one space JUMP > -+ 4 -2
'>_<><>< 05) jump one space JUMP > -+ 2 -2
'_><><>< 06) hop one space HOP > ++ 1 -1
'<>_><>< 07) jump one space JUMP < -- 3 +2
'<><>_>< 08) jump one space JUMP < -- 5 +2
'<><><>_ 09) jump one space JUMP < -- 7 +2
'<><><_> 10) hop one space HOP > ++ 6 -1
'<><_<>> 11) jump one space JUMP > -+ 4 -2
'<_<><>> 12) jump one space JUMP > -+ 2 -2
'<<_><>> 13) hop one space HOP < +- 3 +1
'<<<>_>> 14) jump one space JUMP < -- 5 +2
'<<<_>>> 15) hop one space HOP > ++ 4 -1
'ANSWER:
CLS
PRINT : INPUT "Number of kangaroos on each side? ", N%
PRINT
move.amount% = N% * N% + 2 * N%
spaces.amount% = N% * 2 + 1
DIM SHARED move(move.amount%) AS INTEGER
DIM SHARED type1(move.amount%) AS INTEGER
DIM SHARED kangaroo.string$: kangaroo.string$ = SPACE$(spaces.amount%)
FOR i% = 1 TO spaces.amount%
SELECT CASE i%
CASE IS < N% + 1: MID$(kangaroo.string$, i%, 1) = ">"
CASE IS = N% + 1: MID$(kangaroo.string$, i%, 1) = "_"
CASE IS > N% + 1: MID$(kangaroo.string$, i%, 1) = "<"
END SELECT
NEXT i%
k% = 0: j% = 0: k2% = 0: counter% = 1: counter2% = 1
FOR i% = 1 TO move.amount% \ 2
IF j% = k% THEN k% = k% + 1: j% = 0: move(i%) = -1 ELSE j% = j% + 1
IF j2% = k2% THEN k2% = k2% + 1: j2% = 1: temp% = 1 - temp% ELSE j2% = j2% + 1
type1%(i%) = temp%
NEXT i%
FOR i% = move.amount% \ 2 + 1 TO move.amount%
i2% = move.amount% - i% + 1: move%(i%) = move%(i2%): type1(i%) = type1(i2%)
NEXT i%
cur.empty% = N% + 1: s1$ = "_"
FOR i% = 1 TO move.amount%
IF type1(i%) THEN next.empty% = cur.empty% - move%(i%) - 2 ELSE next.empty% = cur.empty% + move(i%) + 2
s2$ = MID$(kangaroo.string$, next.empty%, 1)
MID$(kangaroo.string$, next.empty%, 1) = s1$
MID$(kangaroo.string$, cur.empty%, 1) = s2$
cur.empty% = next.empty%
PRINT kangaroo.string$ + " "; : IF move%(i%) THEN PRINT "hop" ELSE PRINT "jump"
IF CSRLIN = 24 THEN
1 : IF INKEY$ = "" THEN GOTO 1
CLS
END IF
NEXT i%
SYSTEM
