Rubik's Cube: A Favorite Puzzle Among IT Experts and Scientists

[YoungPhysicist]

Just because math has a lot to do with Rubik’s cube, I thought there might be someone on PF that is a speedcuber. I am.

Just curious.

 

[fresh_42]

Just because math has a lot to do with Rubik’s cube

It has, and a lot! E.g.: http://www.fuw.edu.pl/~konieczn/RubikCube.pdf

Unfortunately, both skills have little to do with each other. You can learn the algorithm to solve the word problem in the cube group, you can even learn to do it fast, but that won't bring you closer to the understanding of word problems in general - except maybe, that you will have an example at hand. Btw., the pdf above has 267 pages, the instruction manual for the cube has one or two, depending on the size of the pictures.

Many mathematicians are also musicians or chess players, so I suppose there is a kind of affinity; most likely the capability of using both halves of the brain. But skills in one of the fields doesn't save you practising time for the other.

 

[Klystron]

Just because math has a lot to do with Rubik’s cube, I thought there might be someone on PF that is a speedcuber. [...]

My favourite brother-in-law, an IT expert, adores Rubik's cube in all its forms. I would joke that he cleaned his teeth with Rubik's floss, solving the skinny puzzle with his molars.