Document Type
Honors Thesis
Publication Date
Spring 5-2016
Abstract
Sudoku puzzles date back to the 1800s in France and were introduced to America in the late 1970s. Since then, the puzzle has become a worldwide phenomenon. This thesis will be of expositional nature including the works of books and mathematical papers such as [2], [14], and [15], among others. The pages ahead will contain answers to some common questions about Sudoku such as, what is the minimum number of starting clues that will produce a unique solution? On the other side of the spectrum, what is the maximum number of starting clues that won’t produce a unique solution?
Taking Sudoku one step farther, this paper will talk about Magic Squares and the algorithm used in making them. Even more interesting is that the al- gorithm provides the makings of a multimagic square, where every entry in a magic square is squared, with the rows, columns, and diagonals still adding to the same number [15]. See the Appendix for the computer code in the program MATLAB that creates multimagic squares.
Recommended Citation
LaBonte, Addison, "The Mathematics Behind Sudoku and How to Create Magic Squares" (2016). Honors College. 393.
https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/393