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From: rfinch@caldwr.water.ca.gov (Ralph Finch)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: Desperately Seeking Geometric Solution by Computer
Keywords: area, geometry, algorithm
Message-ID: <238@locke.water.ca.gov>
Date: 3 Oct 90 15:27:47 GMT
References: <1048@digi.lonestar.org>
Organization: Calif. Dept. of Water Resources, Sac.
Lines: 18


I don't know how to do this but do have an urban legend about this
very problem.  Apparently there was some mathematics professor
(believe from Arizona) who was into optimization and solved this
problem using an Apple II, this in the early 80's when PC's were just
starting to be more than curiosities.  He was doing the same problem
for glass cuts for windows; windows are made from large sheets of
glass and the cuts are just as in your problem.  This fellow also
looked like Kojak (Telly Savalas) I'm told.  Anyway he took time off
from school, traveled around the country stopping by all the window
shops he could make appointments with and challenged the manager to
compare the Apple II solution to what they had done by hand.  His
progam would always find as good or better solutions and he sold lots
of machines, never returned to teaching.
-- 
Ralph Finch			916-445-0088
rfinch@water.ca.gov		...ucbvax!ucdavis!caldwr!rfinch
Any opinions expressed are my own; they do not represent the DWR