The Puzzling Ramanujan’s Magic Square

As you maybe know, a magic square is a square divided into smaller squares each containing a number, such that the figures in each vertical, horizontal, and diagonal row add up to the same value.

In this particular magic square by Ramanujan, fields of the same color add up to 139. The first row – highlighted in the bottom-right magic square – shows his date of birth.

Paradoxical Elastic Squares

A math-magic article I wrote for the German magazine Zeit Wissen: with the 13 triangular and square pieces (fig. 1) it is possible to form two large squares shown in fig. 2. Though the second large square has an extra piece the dimensions of the squares seem to be the same! Can you explain why this is possible?

Paradoxical Squares

This puzzle is available as greeting cards from my online store.

IXOHOXI Magic Square

The neat magic square featured on this stamp was created by Brazilian mathematician Inder Taneja. This square, called IXOHOXI magic square, not only shows common properties like other magic squares, as well as being pandiagonal, but also include extra properties such as symmetries, rotations and reflections.

IXOHOXI magic square

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Toeplitz’ Conjecture

Does every simple closed curve in the plane contain the vertices of a square?
No one knows, but the answer to this question is positive if the curve is sufficiently regular.

Toeplitz conjecture
The black dashed curve goes through all corners of several green squares.

Puzzle Creation for Associations

For 20 years, Archimedes Lab has created visual puzzles for the association RMT (Rallye Mathématique Transalpin). You can use them for your personal projects or for your math class. Enjoy!
Depuis plus de 20 ans, Archimedes Lab crée des puzzles – qui sont utilisés comme des attestations – pour l’association RMT (Rallye Mathématique Transalpin). Merci de respecter les copyrights. Amusez-vous bien!
Association RMT: http://www.armtint.org

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