Margarita Spitakova

presents

Josephus problem
Josephus Flavius returns.
Not alone.
Bloody thriller

Horrible story
We are trapped here,
in cave, blocked by
Romans

Death is better that

capture. Lets form a circle
and start killing each other
with step two.

Josephus is
my friend
Hmm.. lets
count
I dont
want to
die..

Who will survive???

Why
me???

10
9
8

We will kill
every second
man

3
4
5

Who will survive???

10

2
3

8
7

5
Just
try

Who will survive???

10

2
3

8
7

Oops

Who will survive???

10

2
3

8
7

I knew it

Who will survive???

Do it fast

10

2
3

8
7

Who will survive???

Please
dont kill
me

10

2
3

8
7

Who will survive???

10

2
3

8
7

Oooh, no!

Who will survive???

10

2
3

9
Im alive

8
7

Who will survive???

I(10)=9
Josephus
friend

10

2
3

8
7

5
J(10)=5
Josephus

Problem statement
Josephus problem: For n people, who stands
in circle, find the position of the survivor
J(n), if we will kill every second man.
Josephus friend problem: For n people, who
stands in circle, find the next-to-last position
of the penultimate survivor I(n), if we will
kill every second man.

Lets make more executions!!!!

1

K8
K4
K2

Lets make more executions!!!!

K8=2K4-1

1
2
4

K8

K4

K2

3
2

5
3

7
4

Lets make more executions!!!!

K8=2K4-1

1
2
4

K8

K4

K2

3
2

5
3

7
4

Lets make more executions!!!!

K8=2K4-1

1
K2=1 => J

K4=2K2-1
K8=2K4-1=2(2K2-1)-1=4K2-3

K2=2 => I
2

J(8)=4*1-3=1
I(8)=4*2-3=5

K8

K4

K2

3
2

5
3
2

7
4

Lets make more executions!!!!

K8=2K4-1

1
K2=1 => J
K2=2 => I
2

K4=2K2-1
K8=2K4-1=2(2K2-1)-1=4K2-3
J(8)=4*1-3=1
I(8)=4*2-3=5

Lets generalize: if 2n
J(2n)=J(n)-1, J(1)=1
I(2n)=I(n)-1, I(2)=2

More deaths!!!!
K5

1
5
4

2
3

K2

More deaths!!!!
K5

K2

2
1

K5=2K2+1
J(5)=2*1+1=3
I(5)=2*2+1=5

Lets generalize: if (2n+1)

J(2n+1)=J(n)+1, J(1)=1
I(2n+1)=I(n)+1, I(2)=2

3
1

5
2

K2=1 => J
K2=2 => I

Weve found recurrent formula

Josephus number:
J(1)=1
J(2n)=J(n)-1
J(2n+1)=J(n)+1
Josephus friend number:
I(2)=2
I(2n)=I(n)-1
I(2n+1)=I(n)+1

Lets find the closed form

21+20
21
n

22+21
23

22

23+22

24

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

J(n) 1

I(n)

11 1

11 13 15 1

11 13 15 17

J(2m+k)=2k+1, 0k<2m
I will guess that
sequence

I(2m+2m-1+k)=2k+1,
0k<2m+2m-1

Josephus number:
Lets prove it
J(2m+k)=2k+1, 0k<2m
J(2n)=J(n)-1
J(2n+1)=J(n)+1

J(2n+1)-J(2n)=2

Basis. m=0.
k=0. J(20+0)=J(1)=1
Step.
2n=2m+k. k is even
J(2m+k)=2J(2m-1+k/2)-1=2(2*k/2+1)-1=2k+1;
2n+1=2m+k. k is odd
One way:(k=h+1)
J(2m+h+1)=2J(2m-1
+h/2)+1=2(2*h/2+1)+1=2h+2+1=2(h+1)+1=2k+1;
Another way:
J(2n+1)=2+J(2n)=2+2k+1=2(k+1)+1

Josephus friend number:

Lets prove it
I(2m+2m-1+k)=2k+1,0k<2m+2m-1
I(2n)=I(n)-1
I(2n+1)=I(n)+1
Basis. m=1.
k=0. I(21+20+0)=I(3)=1
k=1. I(21+20+1)=I(4)=3
k=2. I(21+20+2)=I(5)=5
Step.
2n=2m+2m-1+k. k is even
I(2m+2m-1+k)=2I(2m-1+2m-2+k/2)-1=2(2*k/2+1)-1=2k+1;
2n+1=2m+2m-1+k. k is odd (k=h+1)
I(2m+2m-1+h+1)=2I(2m-1+2m-2
+h/2)+1=2(2*h/2+1)+1=2h+2+1=2(h+1)+1=2k+1;

Some observations
21+20
21
n

22+21
23

22

23+22

24

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

J(n) 1

I(n)

+1

-2

+2

+2

-4

-4

+4

+4

+4

11 13 15 1

11 1

11 13 15 17

+4

-8

-8

-8

+8

+8

-8

I dont believe

I(n)=J(n)+2m-1, k<2m-1
I(n)=J(n)-2m, 2m-1k<2m

+8

+8

+8

Can we show it?

I(n)=J(n)+2m-1, k<2m-1
I(n)=J(n)-2m, 2m-1k<2m

I(2m+2m-1+k)=2k+1,0k<2m+2m-1
J(2m+k)=2k+1, 0k<2m

n=2m+k
0 k-2m-1 and

k<2m >>> 2m-1k<2m

I(2m+2m-1+k-2m-1)=2(k-2m-1)+1=2k+1-2m=J(2m+k)-2m
0k+2m-2<2m-1+2m-2

>>> k<2m-1

I(2m-1+2m-2+k+2m-2)=2(k+2m+2)+1=2k+1+2m+2=J(2m+k)+2m-1

Happy
End
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