Rearrange the Coins

This puzzle challenges you to rearrange the coins from one pattern to another in the fewest possible moves.

Put six coins on a table arranged like this picture.

Your challenge is to rearrange them into this new pattern in the fewest possible moves.

A move is defined as pushing a single coin into a new position without moving any other coins. At the end of the move the coin you pushed must be touching two other coins.

Course:

Math [1]

Result/Solution(s)

We were able to solve the puzzle in four moves.

We’ve numbered the coins so we can keep track of the moves.
Move 1	Move 2
Move 3	Move 4

Dave Matthews said he could solve this puzzle in two moves. But, his rules were slightly different. He did not require that a moved coin be touching at least two other coins. How did he do it?

Make move A first. (The moved coin is touching only one other coin, so this move would not comply with our original rules.) Now make move B and you are done.

There are other possible solutions. See how many you can find.

Math Puzzle [2]

Rearrange the Coins

We’ve numbered the coins so we can keep track of the moves.

Move 1

Move 2

Move 3

Move 4

Make move A first. (The moved coin is touching only one other coin, so this move would not comply with our original rules.) Now make move B and you are done.