# Beyond the solving



## QCcuber4 (Aug 30, 2010)

I recently got into the "mathematics" of the cube, if I may call it so.

Saw a couple of posts with really funny numbers I could not recognize, asked questions and got answers. Cool. But I still hunger for some of it.

So far the only thing I managed to understand is, how to calculate the amount of time you must repeat and algorithm, (starting with a solve one) for it to return to its solved state. The cycles and such. I found that to be very interesting, and tried many different algs.

one thing I'd really like to learn about, first, is the formula to how many permutations the cube has,

that same one found on wikipedia for instance. Where the answer is 43 billionish. How does the formula work... I can read it, I just don't understand what the numbers are...

Thx for the help,


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## Stefan (Aug 30, 2010)

QCcuber4 said:


> How does the formula work... I can read it, I just don't understand what the numbers are...



Read the text right above the formula.


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## Forte (Aug 30, 2010)

How much on there do you understand? Like, for instance, do you understand what a factorial is? (The ! sign)


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## QCcuber4 (Aug 30, 2010)

Forte said:


> How much on there do you understand? Like, for instance, do you understand what a factorial is? (The ! sign)



I dont understand much of the terms used, for instance the ''factional", no i don't what is it?

I mean, thx to Ravi, I perfectly understand what cycles are, how they work, and partitions and such.

But I'm not a math beast, so it makes it hard for me to understand complicated stuff like that.

And Stephann, I did read the text, i simply dont get anything... so i thought i could ask for a diferrent language...


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## uberCuber (Aug 30, 2010)

QCcuber4 said:


> Forte said:
> 
> 
> > How much on there do you understand? Like, for instance, do you understand what a factorial is? (The ! sign)
> ...



basic definition of factorial: (!)

n! = all the integers from 1 to n multiplied together

1! = 1
2! = 1*2 = 2
3! = 1*2*3 = 6
4! = 1*2*3*4 = 24
5! = 1*2*3*4*5 = 120

etc.


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## cmhardw (Aug 30, 2010)

Start here. Then go here. This should help get you started, even if those links don't cover everything.

Chris


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## QCcuber4 (Aug 30, 2010)

hey thx for the help, i think im getting addicted to it.


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## uberCuber (Aug 30, 2010)

amazing that someone can be addicted to this math stuff without knowing what a factorial is


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## Forte (Aug 30, 2010)

StefanPochmann said:


> QCcuber4 said:
> 
> 
> > I dont understand much of the terms used, for instance the ''factional", no i don't what is it?
> ...



Really? In Canada, that's a 12th grade subject


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## QCcuber4 (Aug 30, 2010)

StefanPochmann said:


> QCcuber4 said:
> 
> 
> > I dont understand much of the terms used, for instance the ''factional", no i don't what is it?
> ...



I'm 19, but I live in Québec, so went to school in french, english isn't my primary language and the terms aren't the same. sorry if it's causing you any trouble.


Also, I have problems remembering what the big E stands for in a formula, i know it as ''element of'' but i can't recall what its used for. Don't hate, I finished high school 2 years ago and just decided i was going to college, its not that fresh in there.


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## Stefan (Aug 30, 2010)

Forte said:


> Really? In Canada, that's a 12th grade subject


Hmm, I guessed it'd be taught with multiplication, which I'm sure is taught earlier. Too old to remember when/where I learned it...



QCcuber4 said:


> Also, I have problems remembering what the big E stands for in a formula, i know it as ''element of'' but i can't recall what its used for.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E

About factorial: Note the "8!" in the text is clickable, and surprise surprise, it's linked to the Factorial page. Also: !


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## cmhardw (Aug 30, 2010)

QCcuber4 said:


> Also, I have problems remembering what the big E stands for in a formula, i know it as ''element of'' but i can't recall what its used for.



Do you mean this? ---> \( \exists \)
Or this? ----> \( \sum \)

\( \exists \) is a universal quantifier and stands for the phrase "there exists."

\( \sum \) stands for a summation. You can read more about summation here.

P.S.
The symbol for "is an element of" is \( \in \)


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## QCcuber4 (Aug 30, 2010)

cmhardw said:


> QCcuber4 said:
> 
> 
> > Also, I have problems remembering what the big E stands for in a formula, i know it as ''element of'' but i can't recall what its used for.
> ...



the second one. Yeah, i mixed up two different things.

Thx for the links. rly helps out.


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## TMOY (Aug 31, 2010)

QCcuber4 said:


> I'm 19, but I live in Québec, so went to school in french, english isn't my primary language and the terms aren't the same. sorry if it's causing you any trouble.



:confused: Really never heard about "factorielle" ? (This is the French word and it's actually the same as in English, only with a French ending. I don't know where your "factional' comes from.)


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## freshcuber (Aug 31, 2010)

I learned factorials in seventh grade so I was 12 or 13 depending exactly when in the year it was taught.


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## jms_gears1 (Aug 31, 2010)

I found This pretty helpful


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