Greetings:
This one took a bit more thinking. For the second problem, which we DO require that it be solved with a rulebase, we have an updated Ms. Manners (Miss Manners for this century) in which we have
12 tables with 12 settings (or seats)
144 guests who have 1, 2 or 3 hobbies randomly assigned from a selection of 5
Hobbies are Tennis, Golf, Motorcycles, Chess and Poker
24 are politicians,
12 Democrats
6 Democrats are female
12 Republicans
4 Republicans are female
24 doctors,
8 pediatricians
6 Pediatricians are female
8 surgeons
4 Surgeons are female
8 osteopaths
2 Osteopaths are females
24 socialites
18 socialites are female
24 sports stars
8 basketball stars
4 basketball stars are female
12 football stars
4 baseball stars
24 teachers
10 teachers are female
24 Programmers
8 Mac programmers
3 Mac programmers are female
8 Windows Programmers
6 Windows Programmers are female
8 COBOL Programmers
2 COBOL programmers are female
The objective is to put at each table
1 democrat
1 republican
2 doctors at each table but NOT two of the same kind
2 socialites at each table
2 sports stars at each table but NOT two of the same kind
2 teachers at each table
2 programmers at each table but NOT two of the same kind
Meanwhile, maintain a boy-girl-boy-girl seating arrangement
Also, each person MUST have someone (left or right) who has the same hobby.
A log should be kept for each table as it is completed. We expect that some tables will be filled and then changed as needed. If no solution exists then the rulebase should report that as well. Perhaps we need two sets of data: One that has a solution and one that does not just to see how the programmer and the rulebase deal with failure.
Data for this problem will be furnished on request so that we are all working from the same "possible" solution. It would be really nice if the participating vendors were to have some nice college intern create the data. Finally, the solution will be checked for accuracy and completeness. Actually, it should be a simple enough problem and the rules, while not terribly complex, are left up to your discretion. Ergo, nothing forced EXCEPT for a real solution. Remember this is Ms. Manners, not Miss Manners. Ms. Manners is an OO-Rulebase Problem.
Hopefully, all of the sponsors (vendors) at ORF will have the solutions for these problems ready for the attendees. :-)
SDG
jco