TOPICS
Search

Magic Circles


MagicCircles

A set of n magic circles is a numbering of the intersections of the n circles such that the sum over all intersections is the same constant for all circles. The above sets of three and four magic circles have magic constants 14 and 39 (Madachy 1979). For n circles, the constant is n^3+n^2+n, for n=1, 2, ... corresponding to 3, 14, 39, 84, 155, 258, ... (OEIS A027444).

MagicCircleRings

Another type of magic circle arranges the number 1, 2, ..., n in a number of rings, which each ring containing the same number of elements and corresponding elements being connected with radial lines. One of the numbers (which is subsequently ignored) is placed at the center. In a magic circle arrangement, the rings have equal sums and this sum is also equal to the sum of elements along each diameter (excluding the central number). Three magic circles using the numbers 1 to 33 are illustrated above.


See also

Magic Graph, Magic Square

Explore with Wolfram|Alpha

References

Heinz, H. "Magic Circles." http://www.magic-squares.net/perimeter-3.htm#Magic%20Circles.Update a linkHung, K. M. "Magic Circle." http://home.hkstar.com/~hkm88630/magiccl.htmlMadachy, J. S. Madachy's Mathematical Recreations. New York: Dover, p. 86, 1979.Sloane, N. J. A. Sequence A027444 in "The On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences."

Referenced on Wolfram|Alpha

Magic Circles

Cite this as:

Weisstein, Eric W. "Magic Circles." From MathWorld--A Wolfram Web Resource. https://mathworld.wolfram.com/MagicCircles.html

Subject classifications