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A Cool Math Game: Magic Square 4x4 Puzzle

Dr. Hakan Oztunc
6 min readDec 14, 2020

Magic Squares are square grids with a unique arrangement of numbers in them. So when you think of a magic square, it is understood from everywhere in the square shape, the sum of which gives the same number — the sum of rows, columns, and diagonals. These numbers are exceptional because every row, column, and diagonal adds up to the same number. Magic Squares, one of the Sudoku-style question types, may vary in the numbers to be placed in the square according to the size of it. For example, let say there is a square with nine grids asks: how can you set the numbers 1 to 9 in the square grids in such a way that the row, column, and cross sums are always the same? I recommend you to stop here and work on the question. Otherwise, the answer is in Figure 1.

Blank Magic Square 3x3.

The historical development of magic squares is also very fascinating. The earliest record of magic squares is from China in about 2200 BC and is called Lo-Shu. It tells that the first magic square was discovered by the Chinese emperor Yu 4200 years from now. Emperor Yu discovers a turtle while sauntering along the Yellow River (Lo River). It is called ‘explore’ because this was no ordinary tortoise. The Magic square legend has begun with this tortoise. The tortoise’s shell has a magic square shape, and this square divided into grids contains dots instead of numbers. Imagine having the same quantity as spots instead of…

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Dr. Hakan Oztunc
Dr. Hakan Oztunc

Written by Dr. Hakan Oztunc

Statistics Professor, Math Lover, Teaching @UOFT. Author of numerous Math Novels. Always looking to make math fun for everyone. MyBook: https://amzn.to/2M5F5Nz

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