The mathematics of various entertaining subjects : research in recreational math /
edited by Jennifer Beineke & Jason Rosenhouse ; with a foreword by Raymond Smullyan.
- 1 online resource (xv, 272 pages) : color illustrations
Includes bibliographical references and index.
PART 1. VIGNETTES; 1. Should You Be Happy?; 2 .One-Move Puzzles with Mathematical Content; 3. Minimalist Approaches to Figurative Maze Design; 4. Some ABCs of Graphs and Games; PART 2. PROBLEMS INSPIRED BY CLASSIC PUZZLES; 5. Solving the Tower of Hanoi with Random Moves; 6. Groups Associated to Tetraflexagons; 7. Parallel Weighings of Coins; 8. Analysis of Crossword Puzzle Difficulty Using a Random Graph Process; 9. From the Outside In: Solving Generalizations of the Slothouber-Graatsma-Conway Puzzle; PART 3. PLAYING CARDS -- 10. Gallia Est Omnis Divisa in Partes Quattuor; 11. Heartless Poker; 12. An Introduction to Gilbreath Numbers; PART 4. GAMES; 13. Tic-tac-toe on Affine Planes; 14. Error Detection and Correction Using SET^�; 15. Connection Games and Sperner's Lemma; PART 5. FIBONACCI NUMBERS; 16. The Cookie Monster Problem; 17. Representing Numbers Using Fibonacci Variants.
The history of mathematics is filled with major breakthroughs resulting from solutions to recreational problems. Problems of interest to gamblers led to the modern theory of probability, for example, and surreal numbers were inspired by the game of Go. Yet even with such groundbreaking findings and a wealth of popular-level books exploring puzzles and brainteasers, research in recreational mathematics has often been neglected. The Mathematics of Various Entertaining Subjects brings together authors from a variety of specialties to present fascinating problems and solutions in recreational mathematics. Contributors to the book show how sophisticated mathematics can help construct mazes that look like famous people, how the analysis of crossword puzzles has much in common with understanding epidemics, and how the theory of electrical circuits is useful in understanding the classic Towers of Hanoi puzzle. The card game SET is related to the theory of error-correcting codes, and simple tic-tac-toe takes on a new life when played on an affine plane. Inspirations for the book's wealth of problems include board games, card tricks, fake coins, flexagons, pencil puzzles, poker, and so much more. Looking at a plethora of eclectic games and puzzles, The Mathematics of Various Entertaining Subjects is sure to entertain, challenge, and inspire academic mathematicians and avid math enthusiasts alike.
In English.
9781400881338 1400881331
12768771 10.1515/9781400881338 doi
880361 MIL 22573/ctt1dr38q0 JSTOR 9453273 IEEE
Mathematical recreations--Research.
Jeux math�ematiques--Recherche.
GAMES--Reference.
GAMES--Travel Games.
MATHEMATICS--Recreations & Games.
Electronic books.
Electronic books.
QA95
793.74
Includes bibliographical references and index.
PART 1. VIGNETTES; 1. Should You Be Happy?; 2 .One-Move Puzzles with Mathematical Content; 3. Minimalist Approaches to Figurative Maze Design; 4. Some ABCs of Graphs and Games; PART 2. PROBLEMS INSPIRED BY CLASSIC PUZZLES; 5. Solving the Tower of Hanoi with Random Moves; 6. Groups Associated to Tetraflexagons; 7. Parallel Weighings of Coins; 8. Analysis of Crossword Puzzle Difficulty Using a Random Graph Process; 9. From the Outside In: Solving Generalizations of the Slothouber-Graatsma-Conway Puzzle; PART 3. PLAYING CARDS -- 10. Gallia Est Omnis Divisa in Partes Quattuor; 11. Heartless Poker; 12. An Introduction to Gilbreath Numbers; PART 4. GAMES; 13. Tic-tac-toe on Affine Planes; 14. Error Detection and Correction Using SET^�; 15. Connection Games and Sperner's Lemma; PART 5. FIBONACCI NUMBERS; 16. The Cookie Monster Problem; 17. Representing Numbers Using Fibonacci Variants.
The history of mathematics is filled with major breakthroughs resulting from solutions to recreational problems. Problems of interest to gamblers led to the modern theory of probability, for example, and surreal numbers were inspired by the game of Go. Yet even with such groundbreaking findings and a wealth of popular-level books exploring puzzles and brainteasers, research in recreational mathematics has often been neglected. The Mathematics of Various Entertaining Subjects brings together authors from a variety of specialties to present fascinating problems and solutions in recreational mathematics. Contributors to the book show how sophisticated mathematics can help construct mazes that look like famous people, how the analysis of crossword puzzles has much in common with understanding epidemics, and how the theory of electrical circuits is useful in understanding the classic Towers of Hanoi puzzle. The card game SET is related to the theory of error-correcting codes, and simple tic-tac-toe takes on a new life when played on an affine plane. Inspirations for the book's wealth of problems include board games, card tricks, fake coins, flexagons, pencil puzzles, poker, and so much more. Looking at a plethora of eclectic games and puzzles, The Mathematics of Various Entertaining Subjects is sure to entertain, challenge, and inspire academic mathematicians and avid math enthusiasts alike.
In English.
9781400881338 1400881331
12768771 10.1515/9781400881338 doi
880361 MIL 22573/ctt1dr38q0 JSTOR 9453273 IEEE
Mathematical recreations--Research.
Jeux math�ematiques--Recherche.
GAMES--Reference.
GAMES--Travel Games.
MATHEMATICS--Recreations & Games.
Electronic books.
Electronic books.
QA95
793.74