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#1 2012-12-14 06:28:46
- tlc1971
- Novice
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Christmas gift rotation
Our family gives gifts to only 2 members at a time. We want to have a rotation that allows 3 families to give to each other at a time so they can visit and exchange gifts. There are 11 members- how can we do this? I started simply with 123 give to each other, 456, then 789 and then just 2 families 10 and 11. I want the combinations to work so that each family gives to all the other families with as few repeats as possible so the next combo might 1 4 10, 2 5 11, 3 6 9, 5 and 8. Please help with a formula that would work.
#2 2012-12-14 07:56:41
- bobbym
- Administrator
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Re: Christmas gift rotation
Hi tlc1971;
Welcome to the forum. I am having trouble with your question. Could you explain a little better?
In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
Probability is the most important concept in modern science, especially as nobody has the slightest notion what it means.
90% of mathematicians do not understand 90% of currently published mathematics.
#3 2012-12-17 09:29:58
- John E. Franklin
- Star Member
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Re: Christmas gift rotation
does this work for your holiday??
1 gives to 4 and 8.
2 gives to 5 and 9.
3 gives to 6 and A.
4 gives to 7 and B.
5 gives to 8 and 1.
6 gives to 9 and 2.
7 gives to A and 3.
8 gives to B and 4.
9 gives to 1 and 5.
A gives to 2 and 6.
B gives to 3 and 7.
How's dat??
Imagine for a moment that even an earthworm may possess a love of self and a love of others.
#4 2012-12-24 15:35:54
- tlc1971
- Novice
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Re: Christmas gift rotation
Let me explain better.
We want a gift rotation that can be easily changed year to year. Currently it works like John Franklin's suggestion. However we want something more complex.
We would like to have groups of 2 or 3 families visit each other and give gifts. Since there are 10 siblings, and 1 parent group, we will actually have 3 families, 3 families, 3 families, and 2 families. So year 1 would look like this: Families are numbered 1-11 and each line represents a group who would visit and exchange gifts
1,2,3
4,5,6
7,8,9
10,11
So then in year 2 we don't want anyone visiting the same people- it might look like this
1,4,7
10,2,5
8,11,3
6,9
So, then it gets complicated to keep people visiting different people each year. I want to optimize and make this work. My husband suggests doing it like a partial n chart- Any thoughts how to make it so everyone visits everyone else in the fewest number of years possible?
#5 2012-12-24 21:47:33
- bobbym
- Administrator
Online
Re: Christmas gift rotation
Hi;
Thanks for the better explanation. There are solutions but only for 4 years.
Each row represents a year. You were correct for the first two years.
In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
Probability is the most important concept in modern science, especially as nobody has the slightest notion what it means.
90% of mathematicians do not understand 90% of currently published mathematics.