{"id":551,"date":"2024-12-14T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-14T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/control-advent.com\/?p=551"},"modified":"2025-11-28T19:05:46","modified_gmt":"2025-11-28T18:05:46","slug":"14-help-santa-crack-the-recipe-for-perfect-baking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/control-advent.com\/?p=551","title":{"rendered":"14 – A Gingerbread Mystery: How Many Cookies Are in the Oven?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Authors of this question:<\/strong> Francesco Dolce & Adriano Fagiolini, Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Mobile & Intelligent Robots Panormus Laboratory (MIRPALab), <\/em>Universit\u00e0 di Palermo, Italy<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Claus is baking gingerbread cookies with his elves, but he can’t see how many cookies were placed in the oven last time because it\u2019s closed and it has no window to see through it. He\u2019d prefer not to open the oven, as that would cause a temperature drop, risking some cookies being improperly baked. How can Santa estimate the number of cookies already in the oven without opening it?<\/p>\n\n\n

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a. \ud83e\udddd\u200d\u2642\ufe0f\ud83e\udd14\ud83d\udd75\ufe0f\u200d\u2642\ufe0f Ask one elf to recall how many cookies were on the tray. After all, it’s unlikely they\u2019d lie\u2014they wouldn\u2019t sneak a cookie or two when no one is looking, would they?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

b. \ud83d\udcca\ud83e\udddd\u200d\u2640\ufe0f\ud83c\udf6a Ask each elf to recall how many cookies were on the tray, then calculate a weighted average based on each elf\u2019s “trustworthiness”\u2014a combination of their ability to accurately recall the number and their honesty when it comes to cookies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

c. \ud83d\udcda\ud83d\udcc8\ud83d\udd22 Use historical data about the average number of cookies per tray to estimate how many cookies the elves likely placed on the previous tray. After all, what could possibly go wrong with a little holiday baking math\u2014especially with elves involved?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

d. \ud83e\uddea\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udcdf Model how the insertion of cookies affects the oven\u2019s temperature and the rate at which it returns to the desired value set by the knob. Then, design a device that combines this model with the oven’s temperature logs to reverse-engineer how many cookies the elves added. It would be a perfect fusion of science and bakery!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

e. \ud83c\udf6a\ud83c\udf6a\ud83c\udf6a Simply load the next tray with as many cookies as possible to ensure there\u2019s plenty to go around. After all, life\u2019s too short for cookie regrets\u2014especially with the elves threatening to strike if the cookie jar runs empty!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

f. \ud83e\udd8c\ud83c\udf2c\ufe0f\u2728 Ask Rudolph to sniff the air and estimate how many cookies are in the oven by the smell. There must be a reason if he\u2019s a holiday legend known for his incredible cookie-finding abilities.<\/p>\n\n\n

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