Rubik’s Cube
David Minchala
The City College of New York
Introduction and Background
The Rubik’s Cube is one of the most commonly sold toys in America. The name “Rubik’s” comes from Erno Rubik the architect responsible for the invention of such a toy. Although it’s marketed as a toy until this day, initially it was designed to help model three- dimensional geometry. The original model was said to be twice the weight of the current toy, and it took Erno Rubik months to figure out how to solve what he called his “magic cube.” He once stated in an interview that the more he arranged the colored squares, the more it made the toy harder and harder to solve. “It was a code I myself had invented!” he stated. “Yet I could not read it.” The Rubik’s cube is composed of 6 colored sides, each side having 9 squares that can be rearranged 43 quintillion ways.
The Rubik’s cube took trial and error to be made but by 1974 the final prototype of the toy was finally complete and this is when Erno realized that he actually couldn’t solve his own invention. By 1975, Erno was able to obtain the patent for what he called the “Magic Cube” and after five years it was renamed “Rubik’s Cube”. Around 1977, Erno had released few amounts of toys to the public in Hungary, his birthplace, and it was the start of his success. The most significant years for Erno’s success began in 1979-1982. Throughout these years, Erno made contracts worldwide in order to help sell his invention. By 1982, Erno had sold more than 100 million toys worldwide and was awarded UK Toy of the Year helping his company even more as it provided more exposure. As years continued, people entered speedcubing competitions. These competitions timed competitors for the fastest time to solve a rubik’s cube, and it became a big event since it began in the year 2003.
Visuals and Explanations
Figure 1. Rubik’s Cube Wallop, Harry. “Rubik’s Cube Invention: 40 Years Old and Never Meant to Be a Toy.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 19 May 2014, www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/10840482/Rubiks-cube-invention-40-years-old-and-never-meant-to-be-a-toy.html.
A visual of a solved modern 3×3 Rubik’s cube. One can visualize 3 complete faces of the cube.
How to Solve a Rubik’s Cube
STEP 1 – COMPLETE THE FIRST LAYER CROSS
STEP 2 – COMPLETE THE FIRST LAYER CORNERS
STEP 3 – COMPLETE SECOND LAYER
STEP 4 – COMPLETE THE THIRD LAYER CROSS
STEP 5 – COMPLETE THE THIRD LAYER CORNERS
Steps taken from: “How to Solve a Rubik’s Cube | Step by Step Instructions.” SPEEDCUBE PTY LTD, www.speedcube.com.au/pages/how-to-solve-a-rubiks-cube.
Figure 2. “Rubik’s Cube Color Schemes – Western and Japanese.” Rubik’s Cube Color Schemes – Western and Japanese, ruwix.com/the-rubiks-cube/japanese-western-color-schemes/.
Japanese Color Scheme- Present in the early manufactured Rubik’s Cubes. The cross starts with the blue and finishes with the white.
Figure 3. “Rubik’s Cube Color Schemes – Western and Japanese.” Rubik’s Cube Color Schemes – Western and Japanese, ruwix.com/the-rubiks-cube/japanese-western-color-schemes/.
Western Color Scheme- This color scheme is the most common found in North America and Europe. The cross starts with the color Yellow and finishes with the white unlike the Japanese Color Scheme.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Erno Rubik created a great invention although it didn’t suit its main purpose it created something well known throughout the world. It was invented in 1974, and yet to this day all new generations know what a Rubik’s Cube is. With the help of competitions and awards, success was made possible for such invention. It requires algorithms to solve and can be used educationally other than just a toy.
Citation
“How to Solve a Rubik’s Cube | Step by Step Instructions.” SPEEDCUBE PTY LTD, www.speedcube.com.au/pages/how-to-solve-a-rubiks-cube.
“Rubik’s Cube Color Schemes – Western and Japanese.” Rubik’s Cube Color Schemes – Western and Japanese, ruwix.com/the-rubiks-cube/japanese-western-color-schemes/.
“The History of the Rubik’s Cube – Timeline with Important Dates.” The History of the Rubik’s Cube – Timeline with Important Dates, ruwix.com/the-rubiks-cube/history-rubiks-cube/important-dates-timeline/.
Wallop, Harry. “Rubik’s Cube Invention: 40 Years Old and Never Meant to Be a Toy.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 19 May 2014, www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/10840482/Rubiks-cube-invention-40-years-old-and-never-meant-to-be-a-toy.html.
