Non-Adaptive and Adaptive Two-Sided Search with Fast Objects

Abstract

In 1946, Koopman introduced a two-sided search model. In this model, a searched object is active and can move, at most, one step after each test. We analyze the model of a combinatorial two-sided search by allowing more moves of the searched object after each test. We give strategies and show that they are optimal. We consider adaptive and non-adaptive strategies. We show the surprising result that with the combinatorial two-sided search on a path graph, the optimal non-adaptive search needs the same number of tests as the corresponding adaptive strategy does. The strategy obtained can also be used as a encoding strategy to sent the position of a moving element through a transmission channel.