The Mathematics of Rubik's Cube
Can you solve a Rubik’s cube? What can mathematics tell us about solving Rubik’s cube?
On Wednesday, January 27th at 3:30 pm in MC 5501 (formerly MC 5158), the Women in Math Winter Lecture will be delivered by Matilde Lalin, Associate Professor at the University of Montréal.
Following the lecture meet Matilde and network with your fellow female peers, faculty and staff at a complimentary wine and cheese reception held in the Burgundy Room at the University Club.
Abstract:
How
many
positions
does
Rubik's
cube
have?
If
one
disassembles
Rubik's
cube
and
puts
it
back
together
again
randomly,
will
it
be
solvable?
What
is
God's
number?
Come
and
explore
the
mathematics
of
one
of
the
most
popular
puzzles
in
history!
Biography:
Professor
Matilde
Lalin
attended
the
Universidad
de
Buenos
Aires
at
Argentina
as
an
undergraduate
student.
She
received
her
Ph.D.
in
Mathematics
in
2005
at
the
University
of
Texas
at
Austin,
under
the
supervision
of
Prof.
Rodriguez-Villegas.
She
was
a
member
at
the
Institute
for
Advanced
Study
and
a
postdoctoral
fellow
at
the
University
of
British
Columbia
before
moving
to
the
University
of
Alberta
as
an
Assistant
Professor
in
2007.
She
moved
to
the
Universite
of
Montreal
in
2010
and
has
been
promoted
to
an
Associate
Professor
since
2012.
Her
research
interest
is
in
number
theory,
with
special
focus
on
special
values
of
L-functions,
Mahler
measure
and
their
associated
problems.
All
are
welcome!
No
registration
is
required.
Click here to view Winter Lecture Poster