So, what is recreational math?
This is a difficult question to answer and even if you ask people well-versed in the field, you should expect to get several different answers.
’Recreational mathematics is mathematics carried out for recreation (entertainment) rather than as a strictly research and application-based professional activity. Although it is not necessarily limited to being an endeavor for amateurs, it often involves mathematical puzzles and games’
Wikipedia
’The mathematics of various entertaining subjects’.
Momath
There are two requisites for something to be considered recreational math.
- It is a fun challenge connected in some way to math.
- It can be easily explained, even to a novice.
It is difficult to define exactly what recreational math is, however, it is generally taken to mean the interconnection of different fields of math, art, puzzles, magic and music. This does not mean that recreational math is inferior to rigorous mathematical research.
Broadly speaking, recreational math encompasses the following areas:
- Mathematical Puzzles
- Mathematical Games
- Logic
- Magic
- Math and the arts
- Number theory
- Math humor
