Stuck with using lists to solve task

[rob101]

Hi and welcome.

No doubt there are a few different ways this could be done, such as using 0 and 1 for the status of the cell doors. Then, you could use if door: which would return True or False for 1 and 0. That way, you don't need to code if door == 0:, but I would go with a more literal approach and you may not have been introduced to constructing custom functions yet.

I would use the step parameter of the range function. Have you learned about that?

As an example, this will close every other door, as the second servant has been asked to do.

door_open = "open" # door is open
door_closed = "closed" # door is closed

cell_doors = [door_open]*100 # open all the doors

for door in range(1, 100, 2): # close every second door
    if cell_doors[door] == door_open:
        cell_doors[door] = door_closed

The above is where I would start from: it sets all the doors to 'open' and then closes every second door. Technically, you don't need the if: branch at this stage, because we know the status from the get-go, but I've put it in, for completeness.

Caveat: this potential solution is simply my first thoughts and I'll have a think some more about if it's going to be practical or not.

To add: I think this could work, if you set up servants = range(1, 101) then nest for servant in servants: with what I have above, using servant as the 'step' parameter, and simply alternate each door (if it's closed, open; if it's open, close it). For that to work, start with all of the doors closed, not open, and 0 as the first door, not 1.

I can't be more specific, without breaking the Forum rules; I'm close to doing that, as it is.