Adventures in group theory

Rubik's Cube, Merlin's Machine, and Other Mathematical Toys

David Joyner

278 pages, parution le 30/10/2002

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Résumé

Group theory deals with symmetry, in the most abstract form possible. It is a core part of the undergraduate math curriculum, and forms part of the training of theoretical physicists and chemical crystallographers. Group theory has tended to be very dry-until now. David Joyner uses mathematical toys (primarily the Rubik's Cube and its more modern cousins, the Megaminx, the Pyraminx, and so on) as well as other mathematical examples (e.g., bell ringing) to breathe new life into a time-honored subject.

"Why," asks the author, "should two such different topics, mechanical puzzles and abstract group theory, be related? This book takes the reader on an intellectual trip to answer this curiosity." Adventures in Group Theory will not only appeal to all math enthusiasts and interested general readers but will also find use in the classroom as a wonderful supplementary text in any abstract algebra or group theory course.

Contents

Elementary my dear Watson
'And you do addition?'
Bell ringing and other permutations
A procession of permutation puzzles
What's commutative and purple?
Welcome to the machine
'God's algorithm' and graphs
Symmetry and the Platonic solids
The illegal cube group
Words which move
The (legal) Rubik's Cube group
Squares, two-faces, and other subgroups
Other Rubik-like puzzle groups
Crossing the rubicon
Some solution strategies
Coda: questions and other directions

L'auteur - David Joyner

David Joyner is a professor of mathematics at the U.S. Naval Academy. He is coauthor of Linear Algebra with Applications and editor of Coding Theory and Cryptography: From Enigma and Geheimschreiber to Quantum Theory.

Caractéristiques techniques

	PAPIER
Éditeur(s)	Johns Hopkins
Auteur(s)	David Joyner
Parution	30/10/2002
Nb. de pages	278
Format	15,5 x 23,2
Couverture	Broché
Poids	401g
Intérieur	Noir et Blanc
EAN13	9780801869471
ISBN13	978-0-8018-6947-1