Question

While staying in Buenos Aires, Argentina, you decide to take a trip to three other cities: Tucuman, Bahia Blanca, and Salta. The following table shows the costs associated with traveling to or from each of these four cities. All costs listed are given in Argentine pesos ($).
Origin and Destination
Cost ($)
Buenos Aires to Tucuman
211
Buenos Aires to Bahia Blanca
268
Buenos Aires to Salta
238
Tucuman to Buenos Aires
272
Tucuman to Bahia Blanca
195
Tucuman to Salta
203
Bahia Blanca to Buenos Aires
200
Bahia Blanca to Tucuman
229
Bahia Blanca to Salta
211
Salta to Buenos Aires
193
Salta to Tucuman
267
Salta to Bahia Blanca
275

Using the information in the table, determine the least expensive way to visit all of these cities, starting and ending in Buenos Aires.
a.
Buenos Aires Right arrow. Salta Right arrow. Bahia Blanca Right arrow. Tucuman Right arrow. Buenos Aires
b.
Buenos Aires Right arrow. Tucuman Right arrow. Salta Right arrow. Bahia Blanca Right arrow. Buenos Aires
c.
Buenos Aires Right arrow. Tucuman Right arrow. Bahia Blanca Right arrow. Salta Right arrow. Buenos Aires
d.
Buenos Aires Right arrow. Bahia Blanca Right arrow. Tucuman Right arrow. Salta Right arrow. Buenos Aires

Answer 1

Compute the directed cost for each route:

a) BA → Salta → Bahia Blanca → Tucuman → BA
238 + 275 + 229 + 272 = 1,014

b) BA → Tucuman → Salta → Bahia Blanca → BA
211 + 203 + 275 + 200 = 889

c) BA → Tucuman → Bahia Blanca → Salta → BA
211 + 195 + 211 + 193 = 810

d) BA → Bahia Blanca → Tucuman → Salta → BA
268 + 229 + 203 + 193 = 893

Least expensive is c: Buenos Aires → Tucuman → Bahia Blanca → Salta → Buenos Aires, total $810.