Recreational mathematics
Form of entertainment in mathematics
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Through Mathematics, Recreation and Mathematical puzzle
The Mathematical Association of America (MAA) has seventeen Special Interest Groups which includes a recreational math group called SIGMAA-Rec. The SIGMAA-Rec website defines recreational mathematics as, "...a broad term that covers many different areas including games, puzzles, magic, art, and more."
Although it is not necessarily limited to being an endeavor for amateurs, many topics in this field require no knowledge of advanced mathematics. Mathematical competitions (such as those sponsored by mathematical associations) are also categorized under recreational mathematics.
Areas of mathematics
Some of the more well-known topics in recreational mathematics are Rubik's Cubes, magic squares, fractals, logic puzzles and mathematical chess problems, but this area of mathematics includes the aesthetics and culture of mathematics, peculiar or amusing stories and coincidences about mathematics, and the personal lives of mathematicians.
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History
1200s
The Liber Abaci or Liber Abbaci was written by Leonardo of Pisa, posthumously known as Fibonacci. Multiple math puzzles are presented with one titled, How Many Pairs of Rabbits Are Created by One Pair in One Year.
1700s
Choi Seok-jeong (Korean: 최석정; Hanja: 崔錫鼎; 1646–1715) made the earliest known form of latin squares in his book Gusuryak (Koo-Soo-Ryak: Korean: 구수략; Hanja: 九數略). The mathematical-puzzle game Sudoku created in the 1970s is a special case of Latin squares.
1800s
The Lady's and Gentleman's Diary was a recreational math magazine created by Wesley S. B. Woolhouse which ran from 1704 to 1871.
1900s
The first Sudoku puzzle is developed by Howard Garns and published by Dell Magazines in May 1979, and the puzzles spread to Japan in April 1984.
Forms
Numeracy is a requirement for recreational activities, from knowing the range of people who can participate at a time to using specific areas of knowledge to participate at all. Hobbiests enjoy finding the mathematical sides of the world and creating enjoyable experiences with mathematics.
Books
Different from a singular math word problem mathematical fiction books may involve multiple problems which further build upon each other as the story progresses.
One example is a children's-book series called Usborne Puzzle Adventures.
Throughout the book, there are puzzles which you must solve for the next part of the story to make sense. Clues and evidence lurk in the words and the pictures...If you get stuck, there are extra clues to help you...They are printed in a secret way, so you will have to work out how to read them first.
— Karen Dolby, Usborne Puzzle Adventures: Danger at Demon's Cove, About this Book
Games
Mathematical games are multiplayer games whose rules, strategies, and outcomes can be studied and explained using mathematics. The players of the game may not need to use explicit mathematics in order to play mathematical games. For example, Mancala is studied in the mathematical field of combinatorial game theory, but no mathematics is necessary in order to play it.
Mathemagics
Magic tricks based on mathematical principles can produce self-working but surprising effects. For instance, a mathemagician might use the combinatorial properties of a deck of playing cards to guess a volunteer's selected card, or Hamming codes to identify whether a volunteer is lying.
Music
Mathematics is used to create and understand music.
There are subgenres of music which are directly inspired by mathematics, such as math rock.
Puzzles
Mathematical puzzles require mathematics in order to solve them. They have specific rules, as do multiplayer games, but mathematical puzzles do not usually involve competition between two or more players. Instead, in order to solve such a puzzle, the solver must find a solution that satisfies the given conditions.
Logic puzzles and classical ciphers are common examples of mathematical puzzles. Cellular automata and fractals are also considered mathematical puzzles, even though the solver only interacts with them by providing a set of initial conditions.
As they often include or require game-like features or thinking, mathematical puzzles are sometimes also called mathematical games. These games can be done through different forms of media, such as board games, books, comics, and video games.
Other activities
Other curiosities and pastimes of non-trivial mathematical interest include:
- patterns in juggling
- the sometimes profound algorithmic and geometrical characteristics of origami
- patterns and process in creating string figures such as Cat's cradles, etc.
- fractal-generating software
- Mathematics and art
Relationship with the sciences
The academic field of mathematics is a core-component for others, such as chemistry and physics. Whenever there is recreational play in those academic fields they include recreational mathematics as well.
Distributors
Recreational mathematics is shared in similar ways as other hobbies. Individual enthusiasts and math-related organizations will make and share what they have created and/or learned.
People
Prominent practitioners and advocates of recreational mathematics have included professional and amateur mathematicians:
Online blogs, podcasts, and YouTube channels
There are many blogs and audio or video series devoted to recreational mathematics. Among the notable are the following:
- The Breaking Math Podcast - Episode 001
- Cut-the-Knot by Alexander Bogomolny
- Futility Closet by Greg Ross
- Mathologer by Burkard Polster
- Numberphile by Brady Haran
- Stand-Up Maths by Matt Parker
- MindYourDecisions by Presh Talwalkar
- The videos of Vi Hart