Rubik’s Cube Baffles Students for Thirty Years

News bulletin: 29 July 2010

It has baffled, frustrated and challenged the hands and minds of people across the globe – and this year the iconic Rubik’s Cube turns 30.

Education Minister Bronwyn Pike joined one of the world’s fastest “cubers”, 14-year-old Melbourne student, Feliks Zemdegs, and members of RMIT University’s Cube Club at Hartwell Primary School to celebrate the occasion.

At the celebrations, Feliks and the RMIT cubers shared tips on how to solve the puzzle with the students. These primary students played close attention to what they were told as they have their sights set on breaking the Rubik’s Cube world record of 7.08 seconds held by Dutchman Erik Akkersdijk.

The students at Hartwell Primary School are determined to set a new Rubik’s Cube world record and they’d love to do this on the 30th birthday of this iconic puzzle.

“Feliks recently won the Melbourne Summer Open with an impressive average of 9.21 seconds and has since broken the eight-second mark,” Ms Pike said.

The Rubik’s Cube is the world’s best selling toy with sales of more than 350 million cubes in the past 30 years.

“But it’s more than just a fun gadget,” Ms Pike said. “It’s based on mathematical concepts such as area, perimeter and algorithms. So twisting and turning the cube engages and challenges everyone, and especially students.”

Solving puzzles such as the Rubik’s Cube is a fun way for young people to develop life skills, including sense of direction, critical thinking and perseverance.

Perseverance is very important. Most people need plenty to solve the Rubik’s Cube puzzle!

“Like crosswords, word searches and Sudoku – the Rubik’s Cube is not only great fun, but provides important exercise for the mind,” Ms Pike said.

For more information about mathematics in government schools, see: Energising Science and Mathematics Education in Victoria