Discrete Mathematics

FARMER’S RIVER CROSSING

PRESENTED BY GROUP : 4

232032 - Omkar Khare

232037 - Samruddhi Nande
232041 - Isha Patil
232042 - Krunal Patil
Problem Statement
A wolf, a goat and a cabbage are on one bank of the river. The farmer
wants to take them across the river, but his boat is too small to
accommodate more than one of them. Evidently he can neither leave
the wolf and the goat, or the cabbage and the goat behind.

Reason
● Trying different approaches for problem solving without violating
the restrictions
● Learn task scheduling
● Simplify problem using graph (mathematical modelling)
 Restrictions:
Defining the Conflict Graph/Directed
Graph:

If they are left unsupervised, either the wolf

will feed on the goat or the goat will gobble
the cabbage.
MODELLING:
● We will try two different approaches for
solving this problem and depict it with
the help of directed graph.
● Directed graph is used as the problem
includes task scheduling and also the
given sequence is mandatory to follow
Representation:
Representing the position of a single item by 0 for one bank of the river and 1
for the other bank .

The position of the three items can now be given as an ordered triplet, say
(W,G,C) .

For example: (0,0,0) means that the 3 items are on one bank of the river &
(1,0,0) means that the wolf is on one bank and goat and cabbage on the other.

Objective: The object of puzzle is to now move from (0,0,0) to (1,1,1)

Solution 1:
The farmer

1. Takes the goat across .

2. Returns and takes the cabbage
over bringing back the goat,

3. Takes the wolf over,

4. Returns and takes the goat
over.
Graphical Representation
Farmer,
Cabbage
Goat, Cabbage

1011 0001 Farmer,

Farmer, Wolf, Wolf, Goat,
Start
Goat Cabbage Cabbage

0000 1010 0101 1111

Solution 2:
The farmer

1. Takes the goat across

2. Returns and takes the wolf

over bringing back the goat

3. Takes the cabbage over

4. Returns and takes the goat

over.
Graphical Representation

Farmer,
Start Farmer, Wolf, Wolf, Goat,
Goat Cabbage Cabbage

0000 1010 0101 1111

1110 0100

Farmer,
Wolf
Wolf, Goat
 Final Solution with Graph
010 Farmer,
Cabbage
Goat, Cabbage

1011 0001
Farmer,
Start Farmer, Wolf, Wolf, Goat,
Goat Cabbage Cabbage

0000 1010 0101 1111

1110 0100

Farmer, Wolf
Wolf, Goat
Conclusion
In the river crossing problem we have successfully implemented 2
ways in which the farmer can cross the river with one thing at a time .

We have represented the paths of the farmer using simple directed

graph that indicates the direction of the farmer crossing the river.

In both the solutions the paths are selected , without violating the
restrictions and managing the farmer to carry all 3 of them on the
other side of the bank.

THANK YOU