please help on this algorithm

[Ella90]

hi I can't figure this out please help:

 

 

"Two police officers are carrying n gold coins in two bins, in a secured vehicle.

The physical characteristics of the the gold coins are the same, but while the coins in the

first bin are all the same, the ones in the second bin are different from the ones in the first

bin. At one corner, the driver suddenly brakes and the coins are all mixed up. They have

a device that can be applied to two coins and tells whether they are different or not. It is

known in advance that most of the coins (more then 50% ) are from the first bin. Find the

algorithm that the two officers should apply in order to put the coins back into the bins.

How many comparisons are necessary, in the worst case, to find at least one coin from the

first bin?

(Beware: it is possible that two coins are identical, but do not belong to the first bin.)"

I don't understand so the first bin has same coins and coins in second bin are different that first bit but different to each other too?

Edited March 4, 2013 by Ella90

[Ella90]

nevermind I got it.

please delete this thread.

[logicum]

what was the solution , this is interesting ?

[SomethingToPonder]

yes what was the solution?

[krash661]

i was curious how they became mixed, they were in separate bins.

or did they all fly out of the bins and onto the floor ?

" repetition of the same basic operation ".

Edited April 19, 2013 by krash661