Adventures in Group Theory: Rubik's Cube, Merlin's Machine and Other Mathematical Toys (Paperback)

"Adventures in Group Theory is a tour through the algebra of several 'permutation puzzles'... If you like puzzles, this is a somewhat fun book. If you like algebra, this is a fun book. If you like puzzles and algebra, this is a really fun book." -- Donald L. Vestal

"Joyner has collated all the Rubik lore and integrated it with a self-contained introduction to group theory that equals or, more likely, exceeds what is available in typical dedicated elementary texts." -- Choice

"The book begins with some lecture notes of discrete mathematics and group theory. These theoretical notions are very nicely applied to some practical problems, e.g.: Rubik's cube, Rubik-like puzzle groups, crossing the rubicon, God's algorithm and graphs. The work ends with a rich bibliography and index." -- Cristinel Mortici, Zentralblatt Math

"Joyner does convey some of the excitement and adventure in picking up knowledge of group theory by trying to understand Rubik's Cube. Enthusiastic students will learn a lot of mathematics from this book." -- David Singmaster, American Scientist

"This is an excellent book that can be used to either refresh your understanding of group theory or teach it to advanced undergraduates. The objects being manipulated are easy to understand, sometimes easy to build or acquire and the explanations are easy to follow. They are also different from those found in the standard group theory text." -- Charles Ashbacher

"This is a book on group theory that lives outside the usual rather dry regime of typical mathematics texts. In setting the book squarely among these puzzles, the underlying mathematics comes alive in quite spectacular fashion. The author achieves this goal admirably here. The text is well organized and written in an interesting and very readable manner." -- Ian W. Knowles, University of Alabama, Birmingham

Group theory deals with symmetry, in the most abstract form possible. It is a core part of the undergraduate math curriculum, and forms part of the training of theoretical physicists and chemical crystallographers. Group theory has tended to be very dry -- until now. David Joyner uses mathematical toys (primarily the Rubik's Cube and its more modern cousins, the Megaminx, the Pyraminx, and so on) as well as other mathematical examples (e.g., bell ringing) to breathe new life into a time-honored subject.

"Why," asks the author, "should two such different topics, mechanical puzzles and abstract group theory, be related? This book takes the reader on an intellectual trip to answer this curiosity." Adventures in Group Theory will not only appeal to all math enthusiasts and interested general readers but will also find use in the classroom as a wonderful supplementary text in any abstract algebra or group theory course.