Tower of Hanoi is a sub-page of the Alexander Bogomolny?s Cut The Knot! site reviewed elsewhere in MERLOT and is one of the applets contained in the Games and Puzzles section. This particular page opens with the history of the classic Tower of Hanoi problem and contains a simple yet effective applet for user interaction. In addition, there is a page with a related problem, Bicolor Towers of Hanoi. In this case the author does not provide a general solution and invites contributions from users. Please see these related reviews:
This is an interactive java applet with accompanying explanations.
Recommended Uses:
This applet can be used to stimulate creative thinking within the context of solving a classis mathematics problem.
Technical Requirements:
A basic browser is all that is required to view the primarily textual material; a java-enabled browser is needed for the interactive java applet. This particular applet is tolerant of both MAC and Windows systems.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
The primary goal of the main Cut the Knot site is to help readers experience mathematical topics in a positive and interactive way and to help them learn to appreciate the beauty and fascination of math. This particular page allows visual experimentation and solution of a classic problem.
Target Student Population:
The materials here would be most useful to beginning computer science students or mathematics students studying recurrence relations.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
While this puzzle may be enjoyed by students of all ages and backgrounds, the prerequisite skills pertaining to the textual content and explanations provided include very basic programming skills and/or basic college-level math skills.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
The content is of high quality similar to the rest of the Cut the Knot site. Mathematical explanations are related to recursive functions and recurrence relations. As usual for this site, references and other internet sites are included. This applet is simple and effective.
Concerns:
None
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
The applet is initially configured with four discs but the user can change this number. The applet will demonstrate the solution in either slow or fast mode; in addition, the user can solve the puzzle manually one step at a time.
Concerns:
None
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
The controls allow for both manual moves and automatic moves in either slow or fast modes and include a reset button by which to start over. Page navigation bars connect the page to the rest of the Cut the Knot site.
Concerns:
The applet controls were sometimes only partly visible after the applet loaded (on a PC with Windows OS).
Creative Commons:
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