3xN
Optimal Domination Numbers
Solutions and Proofs

Part 1 of 3 3xN Optimal Domination Numbers
D(3,N) = the domination number for a board with 3 rows and N columns. -------------- D(3, 1) = 3 D(3, 2) = 4 D(3, 3) = 4 D(3, 4) = 4 D(3, 5) = 4 D(3, 6) = 4 D(3, 7) = 6 D(3, 8) = 8 -------------- D(3, 9) = 8 D(3,10) = 8 D(3,11) = 8 D(3,12) = 8 D(3,13) = 10 D(3,14) = 11 -------------- D(3,N+6) = D(3,N) + 4 for N >= 9
Part 2 of 3 3xN Sufficiency Proofs
Sufficiency is proved by showing a feasible solution using the domination number of knights. ________________________________________________________ D(3,1) <= 3 D(3,2) <= 4 D(3,3) <= 4 D(3,4) <= 4 D(3,5) <= 4 x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x x x - x x - - x x - - x x - x x x - x x - - x x - - x x - ________________________________________________________ D(3,6) <= 4 D(3,7) <= 6 D(3,8) <= 8 D(3,9) <= 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x x - - - - x x x - - - - x x - - x x - - x x - - - x x - - x x - - - - x x x - - - - x x - - x x - - x x - - - x x ________________________________________________________ D(3,10) <= 8 D(3,11) <= 8 D(3,12) <= 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x x - - - - x x - - x x - - - - x x - - - x x - - - - x x - - - - x x - - - - x x - - x x - - - - x x - - - x x - - - - x x - - ________________________________________________________ D(3,13) <= 10 D(3,14) <= 11 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x - - - - x x - - - - x x - - - - x x x - - - - x x - - - - - - - - - - - - x x - - - - x x x - - - - x x - - - x x - - - x x ________________________________________________________ Extendable solution by repeating the first six columns D(3,6k+15) <= 4k + 12 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x x - - - - x x - - - x x - - x x - - - - x x - - - x x \---------/ repeats ________________________________________________________ Extendable solution by repeating the first six columns D(3,6k+16) <= 4k + 12 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x x - - - - x x - - - - x x - - x x - - - - x x - - - - x x \---------/ repeats ________________________________________________________ Extendable solution by repeating the first six columns D(3,6k+17) <= 4k + 12 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x x - - - - x x - - - - x x - - - x x - - - - x x - - - - x x - \---------/ repeats ________________________________________________________ Extendable solution by repeating the first six columns D(3,6k+18) <= 4k + 12 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x x - - - - x x - - - - x x - - - - x x - - - - x x - - - - x x - - \---------/ repeats ________________________________________________________ Extendable solution by repeating the first six columns D(3,6k+19) <= 4k + 14 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x x - - - - x x - - - - x x x - - - - x x - - - - x x - - - - x x x - - \---------/ repeats ________________________________________________________ Extendable solution by repeating the first six columns D(3,6k+20) <= 4k + 15 - - - - - - - - - - - x - - - - x x - - - - x x - - - - x x - - - - - - - - - - - - x x - - - - x x - - - x x - - - x x \---------/ repeats
Part 3 of 3 3xN Necessity Proofs
Necessity is proved by showing that at least the domination number of knights is required to cover a subset of the board. ________________________________________________________ D(3,1) >= 3 o Since no square can be attacked, o all squares must be covered o by occupying them. ________________________________________________________ D(3,2) >= 4 o o Each of the 4 o-squares must be covered o o by a different knight. - - ________________________________________________________ D(3,3) >= 4 a d g The center square can be covered only by occupation. f o b The 8 outer squares form the cycle, a-b-c-d-e-f-g-h. c h e A knight can cover 3 adjacent squares in a cycle, so it takes 3 knights to cover all 8, making 4 knights in all. ________________________________________________________ D(3,4) >= 4 - - - - Each of the 4 o-squares must be covered o o o o by a different knight. - - - - ________________________________________________________ D(3,5) >= 4 - - - - - Each of the 4 o-squares must be covered o o o o - by a different knight. - - - - - ________________________________________________________ D(3,6) >= 4 - - - - - - Each of the 4 o-squares must be covered o o o o - - by a different knight. - - - - - - ________________________________________________________ D(3,7) >= 6 a a - - - - o a's >= 3; a o - - - - o o's >= 3; a a - - - - - sum >= 6 ________________________________________________________ D(3,8) >= 8 a a - - - - b b a's = b's >= 3; a o - - - - o b o's >= 2; a a - - - - b b sum >= 8 ________________________________________________________ TO BE CONTINUED ________________________________________________________