public class Life{ public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception{ String start= "_###_##_#_#_#_#__#__"; int numGens = 10; for(int i= 0; i < numGens; i++){ System.out.println("Generation " + i + ": " + start); start= life(start); } } public static String life(String lastGen){ String newGen= ""; for(int i= 0; i < lastGen.length(); i++){ int neighbors= 0; if (i == 0){//left edge neighbors= lastGen.charAt(1) == '#' ? 1 : 0; } else if (i == lastGen.length() - 1){//right edge neighbors= lastGen.charAt(i - 1) == '#' ? 1 : 0; } else{//middle neighbors= getNeighbors(lastGen.substring(i - 1, i + 2)); } if (neighbors == 0){//dies or stays dead with no neighbors newGen+= "_"; } if (neighbors == 1){//stays with one neighbor newGen+= lastGen.charAt(i); } if (neighbors == 2){//flips with two neighbors newGen+= lastGen.charAt(i) == '#' ? "_" : "#"; } } return newGen; } public static int getNeighbors(String group){ int ans= 0; if (group.charAt(0) == '#') ans++; if (group.charAt(2) == '#') ans++; return ans; } }