TransWikia.com

A curious circuit

Puzzling Asked by Carl Löndahl on February 25, 2021

During our latest space mission to Mars, humankind has retrieved a curious alien circuit. Our historians think it must be a calendar of some sort.

enter image description here

After speaking with some alien linguists, we know now that the characters are symbols of counting and we deduced that they must be numbers.

enter image description here

When the engineering deparment hooked up the circuit to a low-frequency signal, it started moving, emitting light and spitting out similar symbols. Freely translated, the engineers observed and wrote down the following sequence

[2, 1], [5, 5], [8, 2], [11, 1], [14, 5], [15, 4], [18, 3], [21, 2], [22, 3], [25, 2], [28, 1], [31, 5], [34, 2], [37, 1], [40, 5], [43, 2], [46, 1], [49, 5], [50, 4], [51, 2], [52, 3], [55, 2], [58, 1], [61, 5], [64, 2], [67, 1], [70, 5], [71, 4], [74, 3], [77, 2], [80, 1], [81, 2], [82, 3], [85, 2], [88, 1], [91, 5], [92, 4], [93, 2], [94, 3], [97, 2], [100, 1], [101, 2], [104, 1], [107, 5], [110, 2], [113, 1], [116, 5], [119, 2], [122, 1], [125, 5], [128, 2], [131, 1], [134, 5], [137, 2], [140, 1], [141, 2], [142, 3], [145, 2], [148, 1], [151, 5], [154, 2], [157, 1], [160, 5], [163, 2], [166, 1], [169, 5], [172, 2], [175, 1], [176, 2], [179, 1], [182, 5], [183, 4], [186, 3], [189, 2], [190, 3], [191, 5], [194, 2], [197, 1], [200, 5], [203, 2], [206, 1], [209, 5], [212, 2], [215, 1], [216, 2], [217, 3], [220, 2], [223, 1], [226, 5], [229, 2], [232, 1], [235, 5], [238, 2], [241, 1], [244, 5], [247, 2], [250, 1], [251, 2], [254, 1], [257, 5], [260, 2], [263, 1], [266, 5], [267, 4], [270, 3], [271, 5], [274, 2], [277, 1], [280, 5], [281, 4], [284, 3], [287, 2], [290, 1], [291, 2], [292, 3], [295, 2], [298, 1], [301, 5], [302, 4], [303, 2], [304, 3], [307, 2], [310, 1], [311, 2], [314, 1], [317, 5], [320, 2], [323, 1], [326, 5], [329, 2], [332, 1], [335, 5], [338, 2], [341, 1], [344, 5], [347, 2], [350, 1], [351, 2], [352, 3], [355, 2], [358, 1], [361, 5], [364, 2], [367, 1], [370, 5], [373, 2], [376, 1], [379, 5], [382, 2], [385, 1], [386, 2], [389, 1], [392, 5], [393, 4], [396, 3], [399, 2], [400, 3], [401, 5], [404, 2], [407, 1], [410, 5], [413, 2], [416, 1], [419, 5], [422, 2], [425, 1], [426, 2], [427, 3], [430, 2], [433, 1], [436, 5], [439, 2], [442, 1], [445, 5], [448, 2], [451, 1], [454, 5], [457, 2], [460, 1], [461, 2], [464, 1], [467, 5], [470, 2], [473, 1], [476, 5], [477, 4], [480, 3], [481, 5], [484, 2], [487, 1], [490, 5], [491, 4], [494, 3], [497, 2], [500, 1], [501, 2], [502, 3], [505, 2], [508, 1], [511, 5], [512, 4], [513, 2], [514, 3], [517, 2], [520, 1], [521, 2], [524, 1], [527, 5], [530, 2], [533, 1], [536, 5], [539, 2], [542, 1], [545, 5], [548, 2], [551, 1], [554, 5], [557, 2], [560, 1], [561, 2], [562, 3], [565, 2], [568, 1], [571, 5], [574, 2], [577, 1], [580, 5], [583, 2], [586, 1], [589, 5], [592, 2], [595, 1], [596, 2], [599, 1], [602, 5], [603, 4], [606, 3], [609, 2], [610, 3], [611, 5], [614, 2], [617, 1], [620, 5], [623, 2], [626, 1], [629, 5], [632, 2], [635, 1], [636, 2], [637, 3], [640, 2], [643, 1], [646, 5], [649, 2], [652, 1], [655, 5], [658, 2], [661, 1], [664, 5], [667, 2], [670, 1], [671, 2], [674, 1], [677, 5], [680, 2], [683, 1], [686, 5], [687, 4], [690, 3], [691, 5], [694, 2], [697, 1], [700, 5], [701, 4], [704, 3], [707, 2], [710, 1], [711, 2], [712, 3], [715, 2], [718, 1], [721, 5], [722, 4], [723, 2], [724, 3], [727, 2], [730, 1], [731, 2], [734, 1], [737, 5], [740, 2], [743, 1], [746, 5], [749, 2], [752, 1], [755, 5], [758, 2], [761, 1], [764, 5], [767, 2], [770, 1], [771, 2], [772, 3], [775, 2], [778, 1], [781, 5], [784, 2], [787, 1], [790, 5], [793, 2], [796, 1], [799, 5], [802, 2], [805, 1], [806, 2], [809, 1], [812, 5], [813, 4], [816, 3], [819, 2], [820, 3], [821, 5], [824, 2], [827, 1], [830, 5], [833, 2], [836, 1], [839, 5], [842, 2], [845, 1], [846, 2], [847, 3], [850, 2], [853, 1], [856, 5], [859, 2], [862, 1], [865, 5], [868, 2], [871, 1], [874, 5], [877, 2], [880, 1], [881, 2], [884, 1], [887, 5], [890, 2], [893, 1], [896, 5], [897, 4], [900, 3], [901, 5], [904, 2], [907, 1], [910, 5], [911, 4], [914, 3], [917, 2], [920, 1], [921, 2], [922, 3], [925, 2], [928, 1], [931, 5], [932, 4], [933, 2], [934, 3], [937, 2], [940, 1], [941, 2], [944, 1], [947, 5], [950, 2], [953, 1], [956, 5], [959, 2], [962, 1], [965, 5], [968, 2], [971, 1], [974, 5], [977, 2], [980, 1], [981, 2], [982, 3], [985, 2], [988, 1], [991, 5], [994, 2], [997, 1], [1000, 5], [1003, 2], [1006, 1], [1009, 5], [1012, 2], [1015, 1], [1016, 2], [1019, 1], [1022, 5], [1023, 4], [1026, 3], [1029, 2], [1030, 3], [1031, 5], [1034, 2], [1037, 1], [1040, 5], [1043, 2], [1046, 1], [1049, 5], [1052, 2], [1055, 1], [1056, 2], [1057, 3], [1060, 2], [1063, 1], [1066, 5], [1069, 2], [1072, 1], [1075, 5], [1078, 2], [1081, 1], [1084, 5], [1087, 2], [1090, 1], [1091, 2], [1094, 1], [1097, 5], [1100, 2], [1103, 1], [1106, 5], [1107, 4], [1110, 3], [1111, 5], [1114, 2], [1117, 1], [1120, 5], [1121, 4], [1124, 3], [1127, 2], [1130, 1], [1131, 2], [1132, 3], [1135, 2], [1138, 1], [1141, 5], [1142, 4], [1143, 2], [1144, 3], [1147, 2], [1150, 1], [1151, 2], [1154, 1], [1157, 5], [1160, 2], [1163, 1], [1166, 5], [1169, 2], [1172, 1], [1175, 5], [1178, 2], [1181, 1], [1184, 5], [1187, 2], [1190, 1], [1191, 2], [1192, 3], [1195, 2], [1198, 1], [1201, 5], [1204, 2], [1207, 1], [1210, 5], [1213, 2], [1216, 1], [1219, 5], [1222, 2], [1225, 1], [1226, 2], [1229, 1], [1232, 5], [1233, 4], [1236, 3], [1239, 2], [1240, 3], [1241, 5], [1244, 2], [1247, 1], [1250, 5], [1253, 2], [1256, 1], [1259, 5], [1262, 2], [1265, 1], [1266, 2], [1267, 3], [1270, 2], [1273, 1], [1276, 5], [1279, 2], [1282, 1], [1285, 5], [1288, 2], [1291, 1], [1294, 5], [1297, 2], [1300, 1], [1301, 2], [1304, 1], [1307, 5], [1310, 2], [1313, 1], [1316, 5], [1317, 4], [1320, 3], [1321, 5], [1324, 2], [1327, 1], [1330, 5], [1331, 4], [1334, 3], [1337, 2], [1340, 1], [1341, 2], [1342, 3], [1345, 2], [1348, 1], [1351, 5], [1352, 4], [1353, 2], [1354, 3], [1357, 2], [1360, 1], [1361, 2], [1364, 1], [1367, 5], [1370, 2], [1373, 1], [1376, 5], [1379, 2], [1382, 1], [1385, 5], [1388, 2], [1391, 1], [1394, 5], [1397, 2], [1400, 1], [1401, 2], [1402, 3], [1405, 2], [1408, 1], [1411, 5], [1414, 2], [1417, 1], [1420, 5], [1423, 2], [1426, 1], [1429, 5], [1432, 2], [1435, 1], [1436, 2], [1439, 1], [1442, 5], [1443, 4], [1446, 3], [1449, 2], [1450, 3], [1451, 5], [1454, 2], [1457, 1], [1460, 5], [1463, 2], [1466, 1], [1469, 5], [1472, 2], [1475, 1], [1476, 2], [1477, 3], [1480, 2], [1483, 1], [1486, 5], [1489, 2], [1492, 1], [1495, 5], [1498, 2], [1501, 1], [1504, 5], [1507, 2], [1510, 1], [1511, 2], [1514, 1], [1517, 5], [1520, 2], [1523, 1], [1526, 5], [1527, 4], [1530, 3], [1531, 5], [1534, 2], [1537, 1], [1540, 5], [1541, 4], [1544, 3], [1547, 2], [1550, 1], [1551, 2], [1552, 3], [1555, 2], [1558, 1], [1561, 5], [1562, 4], [1563, 2], [1564, 3], [1567, 2], [1570, 1], [1571, 2], [1574, 1], [1577, 5], [1580, 2], [1583, 1], [1586, 5], [1589, 2], [1592, 1], [1595, 5], [1598, 2], [1601, 1], [1604, 5], [1607, 2], [1610, 1], [1611, 2], [1612, 3], [1615, 2], [1618, 1], [1621, 5], [1624, 2], [1627, 1], [1630, 5], [1633, 2], [1636, 1], [1639, 5], [1642, 2], [1645, 1], [1646, 2], [1649, 1], [1652, 5], [1653, 4], [1656, 3], [1659, 2], [1660, 3], [1661, 5], [1664, 2], [1667, 1], [1670, 5], [1673, 2], [1676, 1], [1679, 5], [1682, 2], [1685, 1], [1686, 2], [1687, 3], [1690, 2], [1693, 1], [1696, 5], [1699, 2], [1702, 1], [1705, 5], [1708, 2], [1711, 1], [1714, 5], [1717, 2], [1720, 1], [1721, 2], [1724, 1], [1727, 5], [1730, 2], [1733, 1], [1736, 5], [1737, 4], [1740, 3], [1741, 5], [1744, 2], [1747, 1], [1750, 5], [1751, 4], [1754, 3], [1757, 2], [1760, 1], [1761, 2], [1762, 3], [1765, 2], [1768, 1], [1771, 5], [1772, 4], [1773, 2], [1774, 3], [1777, 2], [1780, 1], [1781, 2], [1784, 1], [1787, 5], [1790, 2], [1793, 1], [1796, 5], [1799, 2], [1802, 1], [1805, 5], [1808, 2], [1811, 1], [1814, 5], [1817, 2], [1820, 1], [1821, 2], [1822, 3], [1825, 2], [1828, 1], [1831, 5], [1834, 2], [1837, 1], [1840, 5], [1843, 2], [1846, 1], [1849, 5], [1852, 2], [1855, 1], [1856, 2], [1859, 1], [1862, 5], [1863, 4], [1866, 3], [1869, 2], [1870, 3], [1871, 5], [1874, 2], [1877, 1], [1880, 5], [1883, 2], [1886, 1], [1889, 5], [1892, 2], [1895, 1], [1896, 2], [1897, 3], [1900, 2], [1903, 1], [1906, 5], [1909, 2], [1912, 1], [1915, 5], [1918, 2], [1921, 1], [1924, 5], [1927, 2], [1930, 1], [1931, 2], [1934, 1], [1937, 5], [1940, 2], [1943, 1], [1946, 5], [1947, 4], [1950, 3], [1951, 5], [1954, 2], [1957, 1], [1960, 5], [1961, 4], [1964, 3], [1967, 2], [1970, 1], [1971, 2], [1972, 3], [1975, 2], [1978, 1], [1981, 5], [1982, 4], [1983, 2], [1984, 3], [1987, 2], [1990, 1], [1991, 2], [1994, 1], [1997, 5], [2000, 2], [2003, 1], [2006, 5], [2009, 2], [2012, 1], [2015, 5], [2018, 2], [2021, 1], [2024, 5], [2027, 2], [2030, 1], [2031, 2], [2032, 3], [2035, 2], [2038, 1], [2041, 5], [2044, 2], [2047, 1], [2050, 5], [2053, 2], [2056, 1], [2059, 5], [2062, 2], [2065, 1], [2066, 2], [2069, 1], [2072, 5], [2073, 4], [2076, 3], [2079, 2], [2080, 3], [2081, 5], [2084, 2], [2087, 1], [2090, 5], [2093, 2], [2096, 1], [2099, 5], [2102, 2], [2105, 1], [2106, 2], [2107, 3], [2110, 2], [2113, 1], [2116, 5], [2119, 2], [2122, 1], [2125, 5], [2128, 2], [2131, 1], [2134, 5], [2137, 2], [2140, 1], [2141, 2], [2144, 1], [2147, 5], [2150, 2], [2153, 1], [2156, 5], [2157, 4], [2160, 3], [2161, 5], [2164, 2], [2167, 1], [2170, 5], [2171, 4], [2174, 3], [2177, 2], [2180, 1], [2181, 2], [2182, 3], [2185, 2], [2188, 1], [2191, 5], [2192, 4], [2193, 2], [2194, 3], [2197, 2], [2200, 1], [2201, 2], [2204, 1], [2207, 5], [2210, 2], [2213, 1], [2216, 5], [2219, 2], [2222, 1], [2225, 5], [2228, 2], [2231, 1], [2234, 5], [2237, 2], [2240, 1], [2241, 2], [2242, 3], [2245, 2], [2248, 1], [2251, 5], [2254, 2], [2257, 1], [2260, 5], [2263, 2], [2266, 1], [2269, 5], [2272, 2], [2275, 1], [2276, 2], [2279, 1], [2282, 5], [2283, 4], [2286, 3], [2289, 2], [2290, 3], [2291, 5], [2294, 2], [2297, 1], [2300, 5], [2303, 2], [2306, 1], [2309, 5], [2312, 2], [2315, 1], [2316, 2], [2317, 3], [2320, 2], [2323, 1], [2326, 5], [2329, 2], [2332, 1], [2335, 5], [2338, 2], [2341, 1], [2344, 5], [2347, 2], [2350, 1], [2351, 2], [2354, 1], [2357, 5], [2360, 2], [2363, 1], [2366, 5], [2367, 4], [2370, 3], [2371, 5], [2374, 2], [2377, 1], [2380, 5], [2381, 4], [2384, 3], [2387, 2], [2390, 1], [2391, 2], [2392, 3], [2395, 2], [2398, 1], [2401, 5], [2402, 4], [2403, 2], [2404, 3], [2407, 2], [2410, 1], [2411, 2], [2414, 1], [2417, 5], [2420, 2], [2423, 1], [2426, 5], [2429, 2], [2432, 1], [2435, 5], [2438, 2], [2441, 1], [2444, 5], [2447, 2], [2450, 1], [2451, 2], [2452, 3], [2455, 2], [2458, 1], [2461, 5], [2464, 2], [2467, 1], [2470, 5], [2473, 2], [2476, 1], [2479, 5], [2482, 2], [2485, 1], [2486, 2], [2489, 1], [2492, 5], [2493, 4], [2496, 3], [2499, 2], [2500, 3], [2501, 5], [2504, 2], [2507, 1], [2510, 5], [2513, 2], [2516, 1], [2519, 5], [2522, 2], [2525, 1], [2526, 2], [2527, 3], [2530, 2], [2533, 1], [2536, 5], [2539, 2], [2542, 1], [2545, 5], [2548, 2], [2551, 1], [2554, 5], [2557, 2], [2560, 1]

before the circuit broke down. The sequence has the format [output, state number/light]. When we analyzed the parts, we could see some circular objects looking similar but with different sizes.

Can we determine how the circuit worked and recreate a functioning one using human technology? A solution should at least describe the rule how the numbers of generated.

2 Answers

The first thing to notice is that whenever a red arrow is followed, the output increases by 3, while a black arrow increases the output by 1.

The arrow to be followed is determined by the current value of the output, according to the following table:

State Output Arrow Goes to
1 multiple of 5 black 2
1 not multiple of 5 red 5
2 multiple of 3 black 3
2 not multiple of 3 red 1
3 multiple of 10 black 5
3 not multiple of 10 red 2
4 multiple of 2 black 2
4 not multiple of 2 red 3
5 multiple of 7 black 4
5 not multiple of 7 red 2

Correct answer by GentlePurpleRain on February 25, 2021

I'm not sure if there's supposed to be more to the answer than this...

Answered by GentlePurpleRain on February 25, 2021

Add your own answers!

Ask a Question

Get help from others!

© 2024 TransWikia.com. All rights reserved. Sites we Love: PCI Database, UKBizDB, Menu Kuliner, Sharing RPP