Leonardo's Mirror and Other PuzzlesOne of the world's top puzzle- and game-makers compiled this visually stunning assortment of 86 mathematical challenges. Ivan Moscovich presents his own inventions along with classic mind-bogglers from throughout history. Each promotes creative thinking, providing intellectual satisfaction as well as entertainment. These thought-provoking puzzles offer fresh insights into many concepts common to art, science, and everyday life. They include a tribute to Leonardo da Vinci that involves his famous hidden messages as well as several of his dissection dilemmas. "The Hamilton Way" concerns the problem of visiting all of the vertices of a graph, and "Catenary: The Gravity Curve" suggests a captivating experiment with a chain or a necklace. Each puzzle is accompanied by colorful graphics that help explain the underlying mathematics. Complete answers appear at the end, presenting not only solutions but also explanations that illustrate simple mathematical principles. |
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Common terms and phrases
ANALEMMA angle ANSWER Astria blue called Catena catenary chords circular circumference connected constant width corners coupler create cross cube curves of constant diameter dimensions disk dissection dots draw Earth edges ellipse equal equator Eratosthenes Eulerian paths example Fibonacci numbers Flatland folium of Descartes four gameboard geometrical graph grid Hamiltonian circuit Hamiltonian paths hexagonal packing holes identical circles Ifyou inside Leonardo Leonardo daVinci LEONARDO’S MIRROR letters Liber Abaci linkage loop math mathematician meanders motion move number sequence odd number ofthe opponent’s color overlap PACKING CIRCLES pair parabola parallel paths and circuits pattern Piet Hein plane player points polygon possible problem produce puzzles Pythagorean theorem rabbit radius RAMPANT RABBITS recreational mathematics rectangle Reuleaux triangle revolves rods SAMPLE GAME semicircles seven shape shown sides solid solution space sphere-packing straight line string Superegg Superellipse surface tion tracks two-dimensional Unaeans vertical volume Watt’s