Using a recursive algorithm to solve the Tower of Hanoi problem, a computer that can generate one billion moves per second would take ____ years to solve the problem.
A) 39
B) 400
C) 500
D) 10,000

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Tower of Hanoi problem with n disks can be solved in 2^n - 1 moves. For a large number of disks, this number becomes very large. For example, with 64 disks, it would take 2^64 - 1 moves. At a rate of one billion moves per second (10^9 moves/second), it would take approximately 500 years to solve, as the calculation shows: (2^64 - 1) / (10^9 * 60 * 60 * 24 * 365) ≈ 500 years.

Using a Recursive Algorithm to Solve the Tower of Hanoi