Proposed Solution to Problem 4

"Solution" by Brian Gregory

[Editorial Note: Here is Brian's submitted solution that improves uponSteve Sayer's answer. Is this optimal?]

In Steve Sayer's solution he allows only buttering to be done when another slice was being toasted.I took the problem that you could do the othertasks while toasting a slice.Here is my solution.

It can be done in 120 seconds.Each horizontal character represents 3 seconds and each line a different slice of toast.

I - Insert into toaster F - Flip toast O - Take toast out of toaster B - Butter toast

                                            11111111          11122233334445556666777888999900011122 slice  36925814703692581470369258147036925814703  1    I----------F----------O  BBBB  2     I----------O BBBB     I----------O  3                 I----------F----------OBBBB

I don't feel that this is necessarily the best thatcan be done. I have yet to come up with a way to prove or confirm this is the best. There is stillplaces where only one task is being done so it is theoretically possible to get this shorter.

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