Thank you for sending the resolution for our first problem. Everyone who sent a solution rated more than 60% has been contacted and was scheduled for an on-site interview.

We invite you to solve the next challenge. Even if you sent the solution for the first problem, you can still prove that you are the best!

Problem: What’s the Best Thing to Do This Summer?

As the summer vacation will start soon, you see two possible choices:

• Come to work with and learn from 4PSA

OR

• Visit all capitals in the world starting from Bucharest!

Visiting all capitals is definitely going to be expensive and it’s going to take a lot of time, so you want to do it in minimal time and with minimal cost! You know that:

• You can travel between two capitals by train or by airplane
• The airplane is five time faster than the train
• The airplane is three times more expensive than the train (on the same route)
• It is always possible to travel by train, unless at least an ocean separates two capitals
• For simplification, airplane and train have to cover the same distance, if the route is possible with both
• You are going to stay the same amount of time in every capital

What we ask from you:

• Structure the data involved – how would you store the capitals and support information in order to solve the problem?
• Implement the algorithm in C/C++, PHP or Java.
• How can you describe the best path under timing and cost constraints?
• What mistake did we make in the formulation of the problem? 🙂

You will have to write everything in a document and send it to us. The document must be uploaded online here, before 12 May 2011, 24:00 EEST.

No matter which is the 4PSA position you applied for, you can still submit the answer to this problem. Have fun!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDtdQ8bTvRc[/youtube]

BTW, everyone submitting resolutions for at least two 4PSA problems will receive a surprise present from us – thank you for your effort and determination!