
The Importance of Recreational Math - dnetesn
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/12/opinion/the-importance-of-recreational-math.html
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IvyMike
A few years ago, just for fun, I enrolled in a UCLA extension course on
Measure Theory:
[https://uclaextension.edu/pages/Course.aspx?reg=Z5529](https://uclaextension.edu/pages/Course.aspx?reg=Z5529)

It stretched my brain in ways that my day job doesn't. I've since continued to
take all of the courses in the series, which are always about "interesting"
mathematics. The professor (Dr. Michael Miller) has been teaching these
graduate-level extension courses for something like 20+ years. If you are in
the area of UCLA, I highly recommend attending. Sadly, there's no online
option, so you'll have to be a local.

More info on the course from another student (and clear fan):
[http://boffosocko.com/2015/09/22/dr-michael-miller-math-
clas...](http://boffosocko.com/2015/09/22/dr-michael-miller-math-class-hints-
and-tips-ucla-extension/)

~~~
tribe
Unfortunately, I don't live near UCLA (Does anyone know of a similar program
in the Boston area?).

However, I have found that it is not too hard to learn advanced math without
the help of an instructor. A couple math-inclined co-workers and I have been
reading Topology by Munkres. Since it is such a popular textbook, there are
plenty of solutions to exercises online. Working with other people makes it
easier to ask questions if you are confused, and also helps me stay motivated.

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savanaly
My favorite books by Gardner, and these are great introductions to his
lighthearted approach to math, are the pair Aha! Insight [1] and Aha! Gotcha.
These are probably the least rigorous works he made, but extremely fun and
still tackle interesting subjects (in other words, great for kids). If you
want something longer form or less approachable, he was a very prolific author
so any of his other dozens of books are great too.

[1] [http://www.amazon.com/Aha-Insight-Martin-
Gardner/dp/07167101...](http://www.amazon.com/Aha-Insight-Martin-
Gardner/dp/071671017X)

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iamcurious
There is no math but recreational math. We should call activities that
superficially resemble math but aren't fun for what they are, accounting.

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j2kun
This is a little narrow-minded. The process of doing mathematics is mostly
diligence and hard work, and the higher up you go the more work you have to
put in to reach those moments of insight and clarity that make the struggle
worth it.

If your argument is that there is a blurry line between recreation and work
when you love your job, then sure. Maybe the average person will believe that
in some abstract intellectual sort of way. But I don't think you'll convince
any mathematicians that their entire job is recreation. By analogy, I don't
think you'd convince any world-class musicians that their entire job is
recreation when they're doing music drills and rehearsing for ten hours a day.

~~~
joe_the_user
Neither

puzzles = the most fun part of math

nor

puzzles = the best, most significant part of math.

is always true. Sometimes, sure but the entire math terrain is complex and
shouldn't be reduced to pure puzzles, pure progressions of abstraction or any
other simplistic view.

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agentultra
I picked up a copy of Martin Gardner's collected recreational maths series he
compiled from the Scientific American articles. Brilliant!

This is a book that will see much love and use in my family for the next few
decades.

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rntz
Hint for the coin puzzle (rot13): As mentioned in the article, gur fbyhgvba
trarenyvmrf gb nal cbjre bs guerr, gubhtu gur ahzore bs jrvtuvatf jvyy bs
pbhefr inel.

Solution (rot13): Fcyvg gur pbvaf vagb guerr tebhcf bs guerr. Chg gjb tebhcf
ba gur gjb fvqrf bs gur fpnyr, yrnivat gur guveq bss. Vs gurl ner rdhny va
jrvtug, gur snxr pbva vf va gur guveq tebhc. Bgurejvfr vg vf va gur yvtugre bs
gur gjb.

Qvfpneq gur tebhcf gur snxr vfa'g va. Chg gjb bs gur erznvavat pbvaf ba gur
gjb fvqrf bs gur fpnyr. Ntnva, vs gurl ner rdhny va jrvtug, gur snxr vf gur
guveq; bgurejvfr vg vf gur yvtugre bs gur gjb.

Guvf vf n grkgobbx qvivqr-naq-pbadhre nytbevguz. Gur xrl vafvtug vf gung lbh
pna qvivqr ol n snpgbe bs guerr, abg whfg gjb.

~~~
jjaredsimpson
The insight for size of groups can be shown by constructing the weighing that
maximizes entropy.

With lg(9) bits of information needed to identify the odd coin, and a scale
with only three possible outcomes (< > =), we can show the best sequence of
weighings must reveal lg(3) + lg(3) bits of information by yielding a uniform
distribution on the outcomes.

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dalacv
thought it said Recreational Meth for a second there

~~~
largote
I hear that's pretty popular

