The Method
The method was surprising in its effectiveness and simplicity:
"I hope that it will not be unacceptable that I give the rules and the demonstration of this method, which is surprising for its extreme facility to execute a thing, which has appeared difficult to our Mathematicians" —Simon de la Loubère, A new historical relation of the kingdom of Siam.First, an arithmetic progression has to be chosen (such as the simple progression 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 for a square with three rows and columns (the Lo Shu square)).
Then, starting from the central box of the first row with the number 1 (or the first number of any arithmetic progression), the fundamental movement for filling the boxes is diagonally up and right (↗), one step at a time. When a move would leave the square, it is wrapped around to the last row or first column, respectively.
If a filled box is encountered, one moves vertically down one box (↓) instead, then continuing as before.
Read more about this topic: Siamese Method
Famous quotes containing the word method:
“Unlike Descartes, we own and use our beliefs of the moment, even in the midst of philosophizing, until by what is vaguely called scientific method we change them here and there for the better. Within our own total evolving doctrine, we can judge truth as earnestly and absolutely as can be, subject to correction, but that goes without saying.”
—Willard Van Orman Quine (b. 1908)
“Traditional scientific method has always been at the very best 20-20 hindsight. It’s good for seeing where you’ve been. It’s good for testing the truth of what you think you know, but it can’t tell you where you ought to go.”
—Robert M. Pirsig (b. 1928)