ES.268 | Spring 2010 | Undergraduate

The Mathematics in Toys and Games

Lecture Notes

SES # TOPICS COURSE NOTES
1 Theory of impartial games

Course notes (PDF)

Slides (PDF)

Handouts (PDF)

2 Surreal numbers

Course notes (PDF)

Slides (PDF)

3 Dynamic programming with impartial games Course notes (PDF)
4 AI and game search

Course notes (PDF)

Slides (PDF)

5 Connect Four and additional AI topics

Course notes (PDF)

Slides (PDF)

Reading: Allis, Victor. “A Knowledge-Based Approach of Connect-Four: The Game is Solved: White Wins.” Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Master’s Thesis, October 1998.

6 Rubik’s Cube and group theory

Course notes (PDF)

Slides (PDF)

7 Probability topics and Monopoly Course notes (PDF)
8 Games on graphs No course notes or slides available
9 Blackjack/poker-guest lecture Slides (PDF)
10 Game of Life Slides (PDF)
11 NP-completeness Slides (PDF)
12 Constraint logic Slides (PDF - 2.6MB)
13-14

Dots and boxes

Project presentations

No course notes or slides available

Course Info

As Taught In
Spring 2010
Learning Resource Types
Lecture Notes
Projects with Examples
Written Assignments
Design Assignments
Activity Assignments