The Tower of Hanoi
Latest update to this document: 7 November 2002
INTRODUCTION TO THE GAME: The Tower of Hanoi is a strategy game that challenges the mind. It was first played using 64 disks, but now it has eight disks to make it easier. The Hindu priests were the first ones who worked constantly to try to figure out how to transfer all the disks from one pole to another. If the priests worked day and night making one move every second it would have taken them a little more than 580 billion years. You have to think of a way to move the disks from one pole to another. Once you accomplish that, you can try to see if you can do it in fewer moves. It will keep you busy in hopes of figuring it out. The author of this game was Kong-Kat Wong and it can be found at http://javaboutique.internet.com/Tower/.
HOW TO PLAY: The Tower of Hanoi is a puzzle that involves moving all the blocks from the left pole to the farthest right pole. You have to stack all the disks from largest to smallest on the pole farthest right pole. You have to move one disk at a time and a large disk can't rest on a smaller one at any time.
EDUCATIONAL VALUE: The Tower of Hanoi tests the thought processes of people. You have to develop a strategy to determine how you will transfer all the disks to the farthest right pole. You have to keep in mind that a larger disk can't be placed onto a smaller one. This makes the game more challenging. This game allows you to think in a multi-step process. To start with you will probably use trail and error, but after a while you will be able to think of strategies. This game makes you think hard in order to accomplish the task.
Play The Tower of Hanoi
Links
Link to Northern Michigan University
S. Gregurash: sgregura@nmu.edu