A magic square is a square grid filled with integers such that the sums of the numbers in each row, each column, and both main diagonals are the same. This concept dates back thousands of years and has fascinated mathematicians and puzzle enthusiasts alike. The magic square matrix can be of any size, although the most common variations are 3x3, 4x4, and 5x5. Each square in the grid contains a unique integer, usually starting from 1 and incrementing by 1. To solve a magic square, one must arrange these numbers in such a way that the sum of each row, column, and diagonal is equal. The magic square has a rich history and has been present in various cultures around the world.
The magic square has a rich history and has been present in various cultures around the world. It has been found in ancient Chinese and Indian texts, as well as in Arabic manuscripts dating back to the 9th century. The concept of the magic square has also been popularized in modern times through mathematical puzzles and games.
Native Americans to J.K. Rowling: We’re Not Magical
The author has come under fire for equating Navajo religious beliefs with the world of her fictional Harry Potter characters.
By Becky Little Published March 11, 2016 • 4 min read Share Tweet EmailIn Peter Pan, Tiger Lilly and her tribe are part of the magical landscape of Neverland. In Twilight, some Quileute people are born with the ability to turn into wolves (just ask anyone on “Team Jacob”). Now, in J.K. Rowling’s new digital story collection, History of Magic in North America, Navajo traditions are placed in the same fictional world as Harry Potter.
Rowling’s new collection equates “skin walkers”—a Navajo term for people who turn into animals—with Animagi, the type of witches and wizards who morph into animals in her Harry Potter series. These details were first revealed when Rowling released a promotional trailer this week; the entire story collection is now available online.
Immediately, many scholars and fans responded with criticism, just as people did three years ago when Johnny Depp played Tonto in The Lone Ranger, and in past instances when white writers and actors have employed stereotypes of Native Americans in storytelling.
The first issue, says Leanne Howe, a Choctaw Nation citizen and co-editor of Seeing Red—Hollywood's Pixeled Skins, is that Rowling attributes the tradition of skin walkers to all Native Americans of the pre-Columbian era, as though they were a monolithic group with one set of beliefs.
The second problem is that Native American traditions are equated with magic. This is part of a long history of white Americans and Europeans trivializing native beliefs. (Rowling’s publisher, Pottermore, told National Geographic that it has no comment on the controversy.)
“I would never, never use the term ‘magic’ in relation to native practices and belief,” Howe says. Native people “simply cannot be respected and given respect in the 21st century” when their history and traditions are trivialized.
Fantasy is an important part of children’s literature, but problems arise when a race of people is constantly portrayed as magical, and therefore fictional.
“We are … fighting everyday for the protection of our sacred sites from being destroyed,” scholar Adrienne Keene writes on her blog Native Appropriations. “If Indigenous spirituality becomes conflated with fantasy ‘magic’—how can we expect lawmakers and the public to be allies in the protection of these spaces?”
There is another, more subtle, layer to the depiction of Native Americans as magical, fictional beings—they end up being portrayed as though they don’t exist. Howe refers to this as “the trope of the vanishing Indian.”
“The vanishing American Indian is in art, it’s in stories—we’re the so-called Last of the Mohicans,” she says. “We exist in the minds of mainstream America as dead and forgotten because the white Americans won the American West.”
When native traditions are constantly depicted as relics, it gives the impression that those traditions—and the more than 5 million native people in the United States—don’t exist anymore. Think of the Native American characters you’ve encountered in books and movies. How many of them were portrayed as characters from the past, and how many of them were depicted as people in the modern world? (Modern characters that are also magical don’t count—I’m still looking at you, Twilight.)
On a more basic level, the stereotypes of the “vanishing Indian,” the magical medicine man, or even the noble savage dehumanize the people they profess to represent. Children read books to learn, but also to identify with the characters. For native children, this presents a problem if most of the images they see of themselves are otherworldly, long gone, or sports mascots.
“These stereotypes hurt us in terms of our human rights,” says Howe. “You cannot have civil rights, you can’t really have human rights or be thought of in a significant way, if you are invisible and you’re dead. So the trope of the vanishing American Indian is in a way undermining the humanity of native people because the assumption is we’re dead, or there’s just a few of us left.”
There are different algorithms and methods to construct or solve a magic square. The most common approach is the "Siamese method," attributed to the legendary Chinese mathematician Yang Hui. This method involves moving diagonally through the grid and placing the numbers in a specific order. Magic squares have also been studied in depth by mathematicians. They have identified various properties and characteristics of these squares, such as the number of possible magic squares for a given size, the symmetries present in the square, and the relationship between magic squares and other mathematical structures. In addition to their mathematical significance, magic squares have also been attributed with mystical and spiritual qualities in some cultures. They have been associated with divination and used as talismans or symbols of good luck. Overall, the magic square is a fascinating mathematical concept that has captivated the minds of people across cultures and time periods. Its patterns and properties continue to intrigue mathematicians and puzzle enthusiasts alike, making it a timeless and enduring topic in mathematics and recreational mathematics..
Reviews for "The Psychological Benefits of Solving Magic Square Menaor Puzzles"
1. Diane - 2/5 Stars - I was really disappointed with "Magic Square Menaaor." The plot was confusing and hard to follow, and the characters seemed flat and uninteresting. I also didn't quite understand the purpose of the magic square in the story; it felt forced and unnecessary. The writing style was also not to my taste, with overly flowery descriptions and excessive use of metaphors. Overall, it just didn't engage me and I struggled to finish it.
2. Tom - 1/5 Stars - I couldn't stand "Magic Square Menaaor." The pacing was incredibly slow, and the story seemed to drag on without any clear direction. The characters felt one-dimensional and their actions and motivations were unclear. The dialogue was also unrealistic and stilted, making it difficult for me to connect with any of the characters. Additionally, the book was filled with grammatical errors and typos, which further detracted from the reading experience. I would not recommend this book to anyone.
3. Rebecca - 2/5 Stars - "Magic Square Menaaor" was a letdown for me. The world-building was confusing and left many unanswered questions. The magic system felt underdeveloped and lacked consistency. I also found the pacing to be uneven, with long stretches of nothing happening followed by rushed and confusing action scenes. The main characters were difficult to relate to and lacked depth. Overall, this book had potential but fell short in its execution.
4. Michael - 2/5 Stars - I struggled to get through "Magic Square Menaaor." The writing style was convoluted and overly pretentious, making it a chore to decipher what was happening. The plot was disjointed, with many subplots and side characters that ultimately went nowhere. The main protagonist was unlikeable, and I found it hard to care about anything that happened to him. The book also suffered from a lack of editing, with numerous grammar and spelling mistakes throughout. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and wouldn't recommend it.