Thirty-six officers problem
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The thirty-six officers problem is a mathematical puzzle proposed by Leonhard Euler in 1779.
The problem asks if it is possible to arrange 6 regiments consisting of 6 officers each of different ranks in a 6 × 6 square so that no rank or regiment will be repeated in any row or column. Such an arrangement would form a Graeco-Latin square. Euler correctly predicted there was no solution to this problem, and Gaston Tarry proved this in 1901; but the problem has led to important work in combinatorics. [1]
[edit] References
- ^ Dougherty, Steven. "36 Officer Problem." STEVEN DOUGHERTY'S HOME PAGE. 4 Aug 2006 <http://academic.scranton.edu/faculty/doughertys1/euler.htm>.
