Sphere Packing, Lewis Carroll, and Reversi: Martin Gardner's New Mathematical Diversions

298 Pages·2009·5.174 MB·English

by  Gardner M.

SPHERE PACKING, LEWIS CARROLL, AND REVERSI
For25ofhis94years,MartinGardner
wrote “Mathematical Games and
Recreations,” a monthly column for
Scientific American magazine. These
columns have inspired hundreds of
thousands of readers to delve more
deeply into the large world of math-
ematics. He has also made significant
contributions to magic, philosophy,
children’s literature, and the debunk-
ingofpseudoscience.Hehasproduced
more than 60 books, including many
best sellers, most of which are still
in print. His Annotated Alice has sold
more than one million copies. He
continuestowritearegularcolumnfor
theSkepticalInquirermagazine.

THE NEW MARTIN GARDNER MATHEMATICAL LIBRARY
EditorialBoard
DonaldJ.Albers, SantaClaraUniversity
GeraldL.Alexanderson, SantaClaraUniversity
JohnH.Conway,F.R.S., PrincetonUniversity
RichardK.Guy, UniversityofCalgary
HaroldR.Jacobs, U.S.GrantHighSchool,VanNuys
DonaldE.Knuth, StanfordUniversity
PeterL.Renz, MathematicalAssociationofAmerica
From 1957 through 1986, Martin Gardner wrote the “Mathematical
Games” columns for Scientific American that are the basis for these
books.ScientificAmericaneditorDennisFlanagannotedthatthiscol-
umn contributed substantially to the success of the magazine. The
exchanges between Martin Gardner and his readers gave life to these
columnsandbooks.Theseexchangeshavecontinued,andtheimpact
of the columns and books has grown. These new editions give Mar-
tinGardnerthechancetobringreadersuptodateonnewertwistson
oldpuzzlesandgames,onnewexplanationsandproofs,andonlinks
torecentdevelopmentsanddiscoveries.Illustrationshavebeenadded
andexistingonesimproved,andthebibliographieshavebeengreatly
expandedthroughout.
1. Hexaflexagons,ProbabilityParadoxes,andtheTowerofHanoi:
MartinGardner’sFirstBookofMathematicalPuzzlesandGames
2. Origami,Eleusis,andtheSomaCube:MartinGardner’s
MathematicalDiversions
3. SpherePacking,LewisCarroll,andReversi:MartinGardner’sNew
MathematicalDiversions
4. KnotsandBorromeanRings,Rep-Tiles,andEightQueens:Martin
Gardner’sUnexpectedHanging
5. KleinBottles,Op-Art,andSliding-BlockPuzzles:MoreofMartin
Gardner’sMathematicalGames
6. Sprouts,Hypercubes,andSuperellipses:MartinGardner’s
MathematicalCarnival
7. NothingandEverything,Polyominoes,andGameTheory:Martin
Gardner’sMathematicalMagicShow
8. RandomWalks,Hyperspheres,andPalindromes:MartinGardner’s
MathematicalCircus
9. Words,Numbers,andCombinatorics:MartinGardnerontheTrail
ofDr.Matrix
10. Wheels,Life,andKnottedMolecules:MartinGardner’s
MathematicalAmusements
11. KnottedDoughnuts,Napier’sBones,andGrayCodes:Martin
Gardner’sMathematicalEntertainments
12. Tangrams,Tilings,andTimeTravel:MartinGardner’s
MathematicalBewilderments
13. PenroseTiles,TrapdoorCiphers,andtheOulipo:MartinGardner’s
MathematicalTour
14. FractalMusic,Hypercards,andChaitin’sOmega:MartinGardner’s
MathematicalRecreations
15. Hydras,Eggs,andOtherMathematicalMystifications:Martin
Gardner’sLastMathematicalRecreations
Sphere Packing,
Lewis Carroll,
and Reversi
MARTIN GARDNER’S NEW
MATHEMATICAL DIVERSIONS
Martin Gardner
®
TheMathematicalAssociationofAmerica
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(cid:1)c MathematicalAssociationofAmerica2009
Thispublicationisincopyright.Subjecttostatutoryexception
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noreproductionofanypartmaytakeplacewithoutthewritten
permissionofCambridgeUniversityPress.
Firstpublished2009
FirsteditionpublishedasNewMathematicalDiversionsfromScientificAmerican,
SimonandSchuster,1966
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
AcatalogrecordforthispublicationisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary.
LibraryofCongressCataloginginPublicationdata
Gardner,Martin,1914–
Spherepacking,LewisCarroll,andreversi:MartinGardner’snewmathematical
diversions/MartinGardner.
p. cm.–(ThenewMartinGardnermathematicallibrary;3)
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-0-521-75607-5(hardback)–ISBN978-0-521-74701-1(pbk.)
1.Mathematicalrecreations. 2.Carroll,Lewis,1832–1898. I.Title. II.Series.
QA95.G323 2009
793.74–dc22 2009010976
ISBN 978-0-521-75607-5hardback
ISBN 978-0-521-74701-1paperback
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