Oval Track and Other Permutation Puzzles (and just enough Group Theory to solve them)
Do you remember those sliding puzzles you used to play with when you were young? You know, the ones where you have to slide the squares to make a picture or put the numbers into order? They were always really easy until you got to the last few and then it all went horribly wrong...
This book looks at the mathematics behind these types of puzzles, as well as other similar set-ups. Without doubt, the mathematics contained in the book is aimed at university Group Theory students. However, the puzzles themselves have a far wider audience.
Having loaded the CD-ROM onto my computer I found myself spending, literally, hours trying to finish a puzzle. Then I started to read the book and noticed that not all scramblings have a solution. Beware!
The first four chapters of the book give you a chance to get to grips with all four types of puzzle (Oval Track, The Slide Puzzle, The Transpose Puzzle, Hungarian Rings). They encourage you to reach a level of competence to that you can reduce any of them to an “End Game&rdsquo; - that point where it goes horribly wrong and you have to rescramble bits the puzzle to correctly place those last few blocks.
At this point the book starts to move into abstract algebra. It is quite comprehensible and sets regular tasks to reinforce the mathematics, but is beyond the scope of the majority of A level Mathematics students.
For that student who always wants something more to stretch them - this has potential. As a puzzle resource for the younger students - this will keep them transfixed for hours.
Karen Hancock
Assistant Head Of Mathematics, Howard Of Effingham School, Surrey
Oval Track and Other Permutation Puzzles (and just enough Group Theory to solve them) includes CD-ROM
ISBN 0883857251 £28.00
John O Kiltinen
<< Mathematical Association of America
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