Date of Award
12-12-2024
Document Type
Honors Thesis
Department
Mathematics
First Advisor
Anthony Bosman
Abstract
The snake cube is a puzzle that consists of straight and turn pieces attached by a string that folds into a n x n x n cube. Finding solutions for large cubes is difficult, so finding necessary conditions for solutions is crucial. Using computational algorithms and mathematical proofs, I find improved bounds for the maximum number of straight pieces in a given puzzle size. In particular, I introduce and apply the adjacency criterion to identify groups of puzzles that are unsolvable. Additionally, I find a connection between the number of puzzles that adhere to the adjacency criterion and generalized Fibonacci sequences.
Recommended Citation
Matus, Trey, "Analysis of the Snake Cube Puzzle and Adjacency Criteria" (2024). Honors Theses. 304.
https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/honors/304
Subject Area
Puzzles, Mathematical recreations, Snake Cube Puzzle, Mathematics--Problems, exercises, etc.; Adjacency criterion
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
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