| Selection | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| c = a·p + b·(1 - p) | |||||||||
| p: | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| b: | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| a: | |||||||||
| 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
For example, suppose that a is 2 and b is 3 and the statement P is the statement “2 is greater than 0.” Since this statement is true, p is 1, and
a·p + b·(1 - p) = 2(1) + 3(0) = 2
This result is the same as selecting 2 if 2 is greater than 0 and selecting 3 if 2 is not greater than 0.
Thus we have four operations for Simon that do not overstrain his mentality; that is, they do not require him to go to any numbers other than 0, 1, 2, and 3. These four operations are: addition, negation, greater than, selection. We label these operations also with the numbers 00 to 11 as follows: addition, 00; negation, 01; greater than, 10; selection, 11.
SIMON’S MEMORY—
STORING INFORMATION
The memory of a mechanical brain consists of physical equipment in which information can be stored. Usually, each section of the physical equipment which can store one piece of information is called a register. Each register in Simon will consist of 2 relays. Each register will hold any of 00, 01, 10, 11. The information stored in a register 00, 01, 10, 11 may express a number or may express an operation.
S1-2
Relay energized
