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!

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