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From: BINCC@CUNYVM.BITNET
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: help find an efficient algorithm to tackle "pentominoes"
Message-ID: <91180.095952BINCC@CUNYVM.BITNET>
Date: 29 Jun 91 13:59:52 GMT
Organization: City University of New York/ University Computer Center
Lines: 21

I need some help as to go about solving the following AI problem:
Five unit squares can be connected into rigid shapes in exactly
the following 12 ways:

     ___    ___      ___     ___
    |   |  |   |    |   |   |   |     ___     ___
    |   |  |   |    |   |_  |   |_   |_  |   |__ |_
    |   |  |   |__  |   __| |___  |    | |_    |_  |
    |   |  |______| |___|       |_|    |___|     |_|
    |___|

    ____      ___     _____     ____   __            _
   |    |   _|  _|   |_   _|   |_  |  |  |        __| |__
   | ___|  |_  |       | |      _| |  |  |____   |__   __|
   |_|       |_|       |_|     |___|  |_______|     |_|

   Since 12*5=60, how, if at all, can the 12 shapes be placed into a 6*10
   rectangle so that it is completely covered? Keep in mind that efficiency
   will be one of the major concerns in the design of the algorithm, any
   hint or complete solution preferably in Prolog to the problem is
   appreciated.