Test 1, Gov02  7/01/02

9.  Make up your own rule for a cellular automaton and state the rule.  Then work out its binary coding.  Don't make the rule trivial (e.g., don't have it turning on every cell if all three are off), but you can make it pretty simple if you wish.  Show how the rule works for the first 5 transitions.

Then make up a complex rule--one you think won't give you a definite pattern--and trace out the first 10 steps in its development.  Give the number for your rule.

9) "If only the cell to the left or right is on but not the cell itself then the cell is on. If the cell and its neighbor to the right but not its left is on, then the cell is on."

The binary coding for this rule, using the standard 8-digit coding rule, would be 01011000 or

0*2^7+1*2^6+0*2^5+1*2^4+1*2^3+0*2^2+0*2^1+0*2^0=88.    

"The cell is on if the cell and its neighbor to the left but not to its right is on, the cell itself, or if any of its neighbors is on."

The binary coding for this rule is 01101110 or 0*2^7+1*2^6+1*2^5+0*2^4+1*2^3+1*2^2+1*2^1+0*2^0= 110.