The Cube, Magic or Science?

Diana Leticia Rincón Delgado

drincond1@ucentral.edu.co
March 11, 2020

Abstract

Using the group theory and some important previous permutations results, an analysis is made of
the possible combinations or configurations that can be performed in the Rubik’s cube.

1 Introduction
A study of the results or theorems about permutations is made, theorems such as Lagrange’s
theorem, which tells us that the order of one of a subgroup divides the order of the group, this
result serves us for the part of the movements, since since it is a subgroup of the permutations
group, the order of the same permutates it. On the other hand a study of the possible and
impossible movements is made an important theorem of the transpositions of the movements. A
mathematical representation of the movements of the cube is made by means of permutations, and
thus to be able to mathematically analyze the impossible movements in the cube.
Finally, an analysis is made based on the intermediate algorithm to solve the Rubik’s cube.

2 Methodology
2.1 Theory:
First, a small introduction to group theory will be given:

• Definition: Let G a set, it is said that G is a group if it is endowed with an operation *

and meets the following conditions:
– a∗e=a y e∗a=a
– a∗b=e y b∗a=e
– a ∗ (b ∗ c) = (a ∗ b) ∗ c
– For any a, b ∈ G, a ∗ b ∈ G
• Definition: If X It is a non-empty set, a permutation of X it’s a bijection α : X → X.
The permutations group of X will be defined per SX I feel that |Sn | = n!
• Properties of permutations:

– For any set A, two permutations in S(A) are called disjuncts when each element of A
is a fixed point of one or the other.
– A cycle in S(A) is a permutation that leaves all the elements fixed.
– A cycle in S(A) is a permutation that leaves all items fixed except for a certain list
a1 , ..., ak , sends ai in ai+1 for 1 leqi < k and send ak in a1 .

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 – When k = 2, the cycle is called transpocision.

• Theorem: Each permutation α ∈ Sn is either a cycle or a product of disjoint cycles.

Demonstration: Let’s first prove the existence of decomposition and then its uniqueness.
Be  
1 2 ... n
σ=
a1 a2 . . . an
an arbitrary permutation of Sn . If σ = 1, that’s it.
Suppose sigma neq1, and b is a number such as sigma(b) neqb. Then sigma2 (b), sigma3 (b), ...
is constructed until b is made, say, of i + 1 steps. So the cycle

(b hspace2mm sigma(b) hspace2mm sigma2 (b) hspace2mm... hspace2mm sigma(b))

describes part of the σ permutation. If the rest of the permutation does not contain numbers
or consists of numbers that remain invariant, the result is demonstrated, since σ is, then, a
cycle. Otherwise, the previous procedure is repeated with that remainder and so on. After
a finite number of steps you have the decomposition.
As for uniqueness, let’s note that two disjoint cycles commute. Let’s suppose

σ = σp ...σ2 .σ1 = τq ...τ2 .τ1

were two decompositions of σ as a result of disjoint cycles. Let a1 be a number that does
not remain invariant for σ. It is clear that a1 must be in a cycle and only one of the
{σp , ..., σ2 , σ1 }, and in one and only one of the {τq , ..., τ2 , τ1 }. Because of the commutability,
it can be assumed that a1 is in σ1 and in τ1 . Since the numbers that appear in σ1 remain
invariant for the rest of the σi cycles, the a1 element must be transformed into the same a2
element through σ1 and through τ1 . For the same reason, a2 must be transformed into the
same element a3 using σ1 and τ1 , and so on. This proves that σ1 = τ1 . Repeating this
reasoning, it follows that p = q and the σi cycles are equal to τi 
• Theorem: All permutation α ∈ Sn is a product of transpocisions.
Proof: By the previous theorem, it is enough to prove that every cycle of Sn can be decom-
posed as a result of transpositions. Let σ = (a1 a2 ...am ). It is clear that

σ = (a1 a2 ...am ) = (a1 am )...(a1 a3 )(a1 a2 )

2.2 Practice
– Cube Symmetry: This means that taking the cube solved as the initial position, if I

make a rotation of the complete cube without making any changes on any face, the cube
will continue to be solved.

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 – Notation of cube faces

• Representation of permutations in the cube: In terms of permutations group theory,

the stickers of the edges form an orbit under the action of the group, those of the vertices
form another orbit. Let’s look at an example of the movement of the front face (F ) can be
represented as:

F = (F U, F R, F D, F L)(U RF, RDF, DLF, LU F )

– Torsion Cycles: For permutations in which more than one piece is involved, but at
some point in the process one of the pieces is twisted, the notation can be used:
(U RF, RDF, RF U, F U R, F RD) = (U RF, RDF )+
(U F, DF, F U, F D) = (U F, DF )+
We will call these cycles, torsion cycles
• Possible and impossible movements of the cube
– Theorem: Each one of the movements of the cube induces an even permutation in the
set of the pieces of the cube. Demonstration: Suppose there is such g ∈ G. Then
g is done as a composition of basic rotations. Assuming that g exchanges two edges,
it is making an odd permutation on one of the faces of the cube and, by the previous
theorem, the number n of basic rotations in g has to be odd. But, by hypothesis, g does
not move any corner and, therefore, makes an even permutation on the other side of the
cube, so n also has to be even. This contradiction shows that g does not exist. 
∗ It is not possible to exchange only two vertices or only two edges.
{U RF, U BR, U LB, U F L, DF R, DRB, DBL, DLF }

{U F L, U LB, U BR, U RF, DF R, DRB, DBL, DLF }

{RDF, U BR, U LB, RF U, LF D, DRB, DBL, LU F }

You take a random permutation, you want to check if this is possible in the cube or
not. Then we apply it to a specific face, by decomposing it by two to two disjoint
cycles, we realize that the order is even, so movement is possible. Then, we apply
it to another face, and when doing the decomposition it realizes that the order is
odd, so that movement is not possible in the cube.

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3 Scope / Conclusions
• An analysis of the movements of the cube was made, by faces and the different types of
movements were understood.

• A representation was made in mathematical language of the movements of the cube through
permutations and group theory.
• Some important results for the solution of the cube were analyzed.
• Possible and impossible movements of the cube were analyzed, analytically, by means of a
previously demonstrated specific theorem.

4 References
References
[1] Chen, Janet. ”Group Theory and the Rubik’s Cube.”
[2] The Mathematics of the Rubik’s Cube,Introduction to Group Theory and Permutation Puzzles
[3] Alex Wein, Mathematics of the Rubik’s Cube
[4] Ramón E. Romero, The mathematics of Rubik’s cube

[5] R. Michael Porter, El álgebra del cubo de Rubik