Martin Gardner

and

Recreational Mathematics

Tom McNamara

Department of Mathematics, SWOSU

November 3, 2014

Who Was Martin Gardner?

Born 1914 in Tulsa, OK

Served in the Navy

Graduated U. of Chicago in Philosophy

Prolific Writer

Column in Scientific American from 1956 to 1981Column for Skeptical Inquirer from 1983 to 2002Published more than 100 books

Died 2010 in Norman, OK

Who Was Martin Gardner?

From Gardner’s obituary in the LA Times:

Though Gardner was not a mathematician himself, his

lucid explanation of puzzles and other mathematical

phenomena seduced a generation of youngsters into the

field.

What is Recreational Mathematics?

Recreational mathematics is carried out for two reasons:

self-education

entertainment.

We might contrast this to mathematical research, where the goal is

to create a systematic body of knowledge.

Sliding Pennies

Turn the top figure into the

bottom using the smallest

number of moves.

Coins must remain flat on

the surface.

Don’t disturb any other

pennies.

Each must touch two

others.

The Jones Sister

If you happen to meet two of the Jones sisters – a random selection

of two from the set of all Jones sisters – there is a 50% probability

that both girls will have blue eyes. What is the total number of

Jones sister.

Termite and 27 Cubes

Can the termite bore through

each of the 26 outside cubes just

once and end up in the center?

Reverse the Dog

Can you move just two match

sticks and make the dog face to

the right?

Keep his tail pointing up as

before.

Where did that come from?