Friday 19 October 2012

"Feynman Diagrams" Describing Hexaflexagons

In honor of Martin Gardner's birth day, math evangelist Vi Hart shares a video about hexaflexagons in which the Flexagon Committee creates Feynman Diagrams that describe the state machine of the hexaflexagon.   No, not that kind of Feynman Diagram!  Feynman was a member of the Flexagon Committee long before he was well-known.

Sit back and enjoy her video!


The following is quoted from Vi Hart's Youtube channel:
Historical Note: This video is based on a true story. Arthur H. Stone invented the Hexaflexagon and started a flexagon committee with his friends Tuckerman, Feynman, and Tukey (who all later became well-known in their respective fields). Tuckerman invented the Tuckerman Traverse, and Feynman invented Feynman Diagrams (not to be confused with Feynman Diagrams in physics, which is probably why flexagon diagrams are usually not called Feynman Diagrams anymore). The details of their interactions and dialogue, however, are my own invention.

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