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Show ull AND JOHN REINER Thefollowing was used as |p some the basis of a TV show to illustrate the difference cases, natural between the way a human u mind approaches such a problem and the brute-force Selection approach of a computer that finds the solution by lias become trying all 40,320 possible arrangementsof the digits: /ess effective Piace the digits 1 though in the diagram, but with this HOWARD HUGE’ > restriction: No two digits modern world, next to each otherin serial order may goin circles that are connected by a direct as people line. (For example:If 2 is placedin the top circle, nei- who wouldn't ther 1 nor 3 may be placed in any of the three circles in have survived the horizontal row beneath it, because each of these generations circles is connected to the top circle by a direct line.) ago There is only one solution. —Martin Gardner, more commontoday than they wereonly50 years ago. Th becausethese people now live long enoughto produce chil- dren with the samedisease, whereasin the past they might havedied first or been tooill to have the opportunity. 8 in the eight circles shown [f QUF “4t’s not fain. Just as I'm turning into my mother, she gets to turn into a grandma.” ia and phenylketonuria, which are genetic in origin. All are much This is an exampleofnatural selection becomingless effective in our modemworld, althoughthese peopleare notless fit in a Darwinian sense. As long as the environment in- cludes the medical care that they need, they are nearly as fit asthe rest ofus. Howin the world did anyone ever discover the first carrotP Did someone just decide to pull a green top thrive out of the ground and then Hendersonville, N.C. Ld ‘say, “Ah, a carrot! | think | will eat it!”P —Alan Young, Eagan, Minn. Who knows? And how about discovering gelatin, which is produced byboiling animal skin and bones? Butthat's not the one that really gets me, Alan. It's thinking about Indeed, there is only one solution, not counting rotations or the first person mirtor images. For great mental exercise, readers, use astrictly logical approach—and be pafie Once you see a rheihod, :you'll placeall the numbers ; in a minute or two. A hint appears at the end of the column; the \ . week. io answer. will appear next Is diabetes more common these days? | see refer- RS. who drank milk from a cow. i Bunch of flowers} toa woman, it often means he has either Hint: Eachneighdigit 35 wo b ieerit something In the case certain ‘women, however, and 8. Inthe diagram, there are two circles that seer Whena man sends a fallen in love or just done that’sthe same thing. : nen °°! ¢xcep! [ice connected ences to it everywhere.If ey toevery circle so, why would that beP except one J it La. Modern medicine has made "you have a question oF comment for Marilyn vos Savant, who is listed in the “Guinness Book of World Records” 10,” send it to: Ask Marilyn, Third Ave. New York, N.Y. 10017, Or send e—diseases PARADE,711 mail to (include name, city and state). great strides in the treatment of Hail of Fame tor “Hi ighest chronic—and deadly like diabetes mellitus, hemophil- Due to volume of mail, personal replies are not possible. PAGE 10: MAY 23, 1999 PARADE MAGAZINE |
