Adventures in group theory : Rubik's cube, Merlin's machine, and other mathematical toys / David Joyner.
"David Joyner uses mathematical toys such as the Rubik's Cube to make abstract algebra and group theory fun.Joyner employs permutation puzzles such as the 15 puzzle, the Rainbow Masterball, the Pyraminx, the Skewb, the Megaminx, Merlin's Machine, and variants of the Rubik's Cube...
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| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English |
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Baltimore :
Johns Hopkins University Press,
2008.
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| Edition: | Second edition, Updated and revised edition. |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Contributor biographical information |
| Summary: | "David Joyner uses mathematical toys such as the Rubik's Cube to make abstract algebra and group theory fun.Joyner employs permutation puzzles such as the 15 puzzle, the Rainbow Masterball, the Pyraminx, the Skewb, the Megaminx, Merlin's Machine, and variants of the Rubik's Cube to explain topics in introductory algebra (matrices, combinatorics, and permutations) and group theory (Cayley graphs, symmetries, isomorphisms, wreath products, free groups, and finite fields). Joyner also offers strategies for solving the puzzles.The updated second edition uses SAGE, an open-source computer algebra system, to illustrate many of the computations.Adventures in Group Theory not only appeals to math enthusiasts but also makes a wonderful supplementary textbook."--Publisher description. |
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| Physical Description: | xv, 310 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (pages 299-304) and index. |
| ISBN: | 0801890128 9780801890123 0801890136 9780801890130 |