That much is obvious ... but, therefore, Roman Numerals seems a very peculiar example to use. I would have expected to find such a presentation presenting a problem which actually requires a search of an intractably-large space ... or, ex minimis, one that actually requires searching of some space. And, since this one clearly doesn’t, I will be most curious to see if that characteristic affects the final solution, when it is finally (and after much dramatic fanfare) presented. This example puts on a dramatic search (claimed to take billions of years) for something that need not be searched-for at all. An illiterate peasant could do it ... and did. When the white rabbit is finally revealed, will it be breathtaking – or a subtle fallacy? Why this choice, and, does it matter?
And as for “golf,” yeah, I know. I too have seen it played. But it would be a lot more interesting if the most-efficient algorithm for solving the actual representative-problem were what is presented “in the least number of keystrokes.” This is on the one hand very interesting and computer-sciency, as I have already said, but the choice of example-problem puzzles me. This one’s going from Ft. Worth to Dallas by way of Moscow and Sydney, and insisting that you aren’t even allowed to drive.
I would hope, also, that it is understood by all that I am saying this in the friendly point-of-view of someone who’s munching popcorn waiting for the fourth and final installment of the serial to be spooled into the projector.
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