Bomb dropping algorithm

Question

I have an n x m matrix consisting of non-negative integers. For example:

2 3 4 7 1
1 5 2 6 2
4 3 4 2 1
2 1 2 4 1
3 1 3 4 1
2 1 4 3 2
6 9 1 6 4
         


        

Answer 1

This was an answer to the first asked question. I hadn't noticed that he changed the parameters.

Create a list of all targets. Assign a value to the target based on the number of positive values impacted by a drop (itself, and all neighbors). Highest value would be a nine.

Sort the targets by the number of targets impacted (Descending), with a secondary descending sort on the sum of each impacted target.

Drop a bomb on the highest ranked target, then re-calculate targets and repeat until all target values are zero.

Agreed, this is not always the most optimal. For example,

100011
011100
011100
011100
000000
100011

This approach would take 5 bombs to clear. Optimally, though, you could do it in 4. Still, pretty darn close and there is no backtracking. For most situations it will be optimal, or very close.

Using the original problem numbers, this approach solves in 28 bombs.

Adding code to demonstrate this approach (using a form with a button):

         private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        int[,] matrix = new int[10, 10] {{5, 20, 7, 1, 9, 8, 19, 16, 11, 3}, 
                                         {17, 8, 15, 17, 12, 4, 5, 16, 8, 18},
                                         { 4, 19, 12, 11, 9, 7, 4, 15, 14, 6},
                                         { 17, 20, 4, 9, 19, 8, 17, 2, 10, 8},
                                         { 3, 9, 10, 13, 8, 9, 12, 12, 6, 18}, 
                                         {16, 16, 2, 10, 7, 12, 17, 11, 4, 15},
                                         { 11, 1, 15, 1, 5, 11, 3, 12, 8, 3},
                                         { 7, 11, 16, 19, 17, 11, 20, 2, 5, 19},
                                         { 5, 18, 2, 17, 7, 14, 19, 11, 1, 6},
                                         { 13, 20, 8, 4, 15, 10, 19, 5, 11, 12}};


        int value = 0;
        List Targets = GetTargets(matrix);
        while (Targets.Count > 0)
        {
            BombTarget(ref matrix, Targets[0]);
            value += 1;
            Targets = GetTargets(matrix);
        }
        Console.WriteLine( value);
        MessageBox.Show("done: " + value);
    }

    private static void BombTarget(ref int[,] matrix, Target t)
    {
        for (int a = t.x - 1; a <= t.x + 1; a++)
        {
            for (int b = t.y - 1; b <= t.y + 1; b++)
            {
                if (a >= 0 && a <= matrix.GetUpperBound(0))
                {
                    if (b >= 0 && b <= matrix.GetUpperBound(1))
                    {
                        if (matrix[a, b] > 0)
                        {
                            matrix[a, b] -= 1;
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        }
        Console.WriteLine("Dropped bomb on " + t.x + "," + t.y);
    }

    private static List GetTargets(int[,] matrix)
    {
        List Targets = new List();
        int width = matrix.GetUpperBound(0);
        int height = matrix.GetUpperBound(1);
        for (int x = 0; x <= width; x++)
        {
            for (int y = 0; y <= height; y++)
            {
                Target t = new Target();
                t.x = x;
                t.y = y;
                SetTargetValue(matrix, ref t);
                if (t.value > 0) Targets.Add(t);
            }
        }
        Targets = Targets.OrderByDescending(x => x.value).ThenByDescending( x => x.sum).ToList();
        return Targets;
    }

    private static void SetTargetValue(int[,] matrix, ref Target t)
    {
        for (int a = t.x - 1; a <= t.x + 1; a++)
        {
            for (int b = t.y - 1; b <= t.y + 1; b++)
            {
                if (a >= 0 && a <= matrix.GetUpperBound(0))
                {
                    if (b >= 0 && b <= matrix.GetUpperBound(1))
                    {
                        if (matrix[ a, b] > 0)
                        {
                            t.value += 1;
                            t.sum += matrix[a,b];
                        }

                    }
                }
            }
        }

    }

A class you will need:

        class Target
    {
        public int value;
        public int sum;
        public int x;
        public int y;
    }