Question

In the game of life, a world begins with 4 cells in a row in the alive state, and no other cells alive. After 20 updates, what state is the world in? (In other words, which cells are alive at this point?).

Answer 1

In the game of life, the state of the world after 20 updates can be determined by applying the rules of the game to each cell in the initial row of 4 cells. The rules involve considering the number of neighbors each cell has and applying specific conditions for cell survival, death, or reproduction.

Step-by-step explanation:

The game of life is a cellular automaton that simulates the growth and evolution of a population of cells. In this case, a world begins with 4 cells in a row in the alive state, and no other cells are alive.

Each update, or generation, follows the rules of the game of life:

1. Any living cell with fewer than two living neighbors dies, as if by underpopulation.
2. Any living cell with two or three living neighbors survives to the next generation.
3. Any living cell with more than three living neighbors dies, as if by overpopulation.
4. Any dead cell with exactly three living neighbors becomes alive, as if by reproduction.

After 20 updates, you would need to apply these rules to each cell in the initial row of 4 cells to determine their state.

To determine the state of each cell, you would need to count the number of living neighbors it has and apply the rules accordingly. Since the initial row only has cells on the left and right, each cell would have at most two neighbors to consider.

Using these rules and applying them to the initial row, you can determine the state of each cell after 20 updates.