Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley door pickup 10am - 7pm 3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
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  • Open Daily: 10am - 10pm
    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
The Joy of Set: The Many Mathematical Dimensions of a Seemingly Simple Card Game

The Joy of Set: The Many Mathematical Dimensions of a Seemingly Simple Card Game

McMahon, Liz
Gordon, Gary
Gordon, Hannah

Hardcover

General MathematicsGeneral Card Games

ISBN10: 0691166145
ISBN13: 9780691166148
Publisher: Princeton Univ Pr
Published: Nov 22 2016
Pages: 320
Weight: 1.55
Height: 1.10 Width: 6.20 Depth: 9.30
Language: English

A mathematical exploration of the popular card game SET

Have you ever played the addictive card game SET? Have you ever wondered about the connections between games and mathematics? If the answer to either question is yes, then The Joy of SET is the book for you! The Joy of SET takes readers on a fascinating journey into this seemingly simple card game and reveals its surprisingly deep and diverse mathematical dimensions. Absolutely no mathematical background is necessary to enjoy this book--all you need is a sense of curiosity and adventure!

Originally invented in 1974 by Marsha Falco and officially released in 1991, SET has gained a widespread, loyal following. SET's eighty-one cards consist of one, two, or three symbols of different shapes (diamond, oval, squiggle), shadings (solid, striped, open), and colors (green, purple, red). In order to win, players must identify sets of three cards for which each characteristic is the same--or different--on all the cards. SET's strategic and unique design opens connections to a plethora of mathematical disciplines, including geometry, modular arithmetic, combinatorics, probability, linear algebra, and computer simulations. The Joy of SET looks at these areas as well as avenues for further mathematical exploration. As the authors show, the relationship between SET and mathematics runs in both directions--playing this game has generated new mathematics, and the math has led to new questions about the game itself.

The first book devoted to the mathematics of one of today's most popular card games, The Joy of SET will entertain and enlighten the game enthusiast in all of us.

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