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the game of Snatch involves two players who take turns removing either 1,2,3 or

ID: 2977027 • Letter: T

Question

the game of Snatch involves two players who take turns removing either 1,2,3 or 4 pennies from a pile of pennies. The winner is the player to take the last penny. Depending on the number n of pennies in the pile, the player about to move can either be guaranteed of eventually taking the last penny( a winning position) or cannot prevent the other player from doing so( a losing position). Which values of n constitute a losing position for the person about to play? Begin your answer with " A pile of n pennies represents a losing position if and only if n is ..." Then explain why your answer is correct.

Explanation / Answer

A pile of n pennies represents a losing position if and only if n is 4