Hexagonal tortoise problem: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Mathematical problem}}

[[File:Hexagonal-tortoise-problemhexagonal_tortoise_problem.pngsvg|thumb|upright=1.4|Choi Seok-jeong's original magic hexagonal tortoise pattern. All the sums of six numbers of each hexagon are the same number, 93. The magic sum varies if the numbers 1 through 30 are rearranged. For example, the magic sum could be 77 through 109.]]

The '''hexagonal tortoise problem''' ({{Korean|지수귀문도|地數龜文圖|jisugwimundo}}) was invented by Korean aristocrat and mathematician [[Choi Seok-jeong]] (1646–1715). It is a mathematical problem that involves a hexagonal lattice, like the hexagonal pattern on some tortoises' shells, to the (''N'') [[Vertex (geometry)|vertices]] of which must be assigned integers (from 1 to ''N'') in such a way that the sum of all integers at the vertices of each hexagon is the same.{{sfn|Choe|Choi|Moon|2003|p=850}} The problem has apparent similarities to a [[magic square]] although it is a vertex-magic format rather than an edge-magic form or the more typical rows-of-cells form.{{sfn|Choe|Choi|Moon|2003|p=850}}