Mathematical puzzle
Mathematical puzzlesmake up an integral part ofrecreational mathematics.They have specific rules, but they do not usually involve competition between two or more players. Instead, to solve such apuzzle,the solver must find a solution that satisfies the given conditions. Mathematical puzzles require mathematics to solve them.Logic puzzlesare a common type of mathematical puzzle.
Conway's Game of Lifeandfractals,as two examples, may also be considered mathematical puzzles even though the solver interacts with them only at the beginning by providing a set of initial conditions. After these conditions are set, the rules of the puzzle determine all subsequent changes and moves. Many of the puzzles are well known because they were discussed byMartin Gardnerin his "Mathematical Games" column in Scientific American. Mathematical puzzles are sometimes used to motivate students in teaching elementary schoolmath problemsolving techniques.[1]Creative thinking– or "thinking outside the box"– often helps to find the solution.
List of mathematical puzzles
[edit]Numbers, arithmetic, and algebra
[edit]- Cross-figuresor cross number puzzles
- Dyson numbers
- Four fours
- KenKen
- Water pouring puzzle
- The monkey and the coconuts
- Pirate loot problem
- Verbal arithmetics
- 24 Game
Combinatorial
[edit]- Cryptograms
- Fifteen Puzzle
- Kakuro
- Rubik's Cubeand othersequential movement puzzles
- Str8tsa number puzzle based on sequences
- Sudoku
- Sujiko
- Think-a-Dot
- Tower of Hanoi
- Bridges Game
Analytical or differential
[edit]- See also:Zeno's paradoxes
Probability
[edit]Tiling, packing, and dissection
[edit]- Bedlam cube
- Conway puzzle
- Mutilated chessboard problem
- Packing problem
- Pentominoestiling
- Slothouber–Graatsma puzzle
- Soma cube
- T puzzle
- Tangram
Involves a board
[edit]Chessboard tasks
[edit]Topology, knots, graph theory
[edit]The fields ofknot theoryandtopology,especially their non-intuitive conclusions, are often seen as a part of recreational mathematics.
Mechanical
[edit]0-player puzzles
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Kulkarni, D.Enjoying Math: Learning Problem Solving With KenKen PuzzlesArchived2013-08-01 at theWayback Machine,A textbook for teaching with KenKen Puzzles.
External links
[edit]| Polyominoes | |
|---|---|
| Higher dimensions | |
| Others | |
| Gamesandpuzzles | |
