Operation Stack - a LEGO Experiment.

[Doctor Sinister]

Having taken a conscious decision to slip further into a screaming pit of insanity, I am trying this little experiment...

Have you ever wondered how many possible combinations of three 2×4 bricks there are? Apparently it’s 1,060.

Anyway, I’m going to find out for myself. So every day that I remember, I’ll try and post a new combination over in my Flickr account and on my Blog.

I have however set myself some rules:

1) I am using three differently-coloured bricks, but each combination must be completely unique. Thus, only one of the following images would qualify as a unique combination, despite the colour-swap.

2) No rotations. If a combination has already been used but in a rotated form, it doesn’t count.

So, let’s begin! Let’s see how many I can get with the rule limitations above, and without getting bored.

Dr. S.

[barry]

i salute you!

may you push back the boundaries of brick science in your search for possible combinations

barry over and out!

10-4

[ILikePi]

Good luck Doctor Sinister!

But won't it take three years to finish the "operation"?

[jifel]

He could do several a day.

Impressive project here, Sinister. I wish you luck!

jifel

[Zepher]

It's going to be hard to remember all the combos you've already made. Best of luck!

[Ricecracker]

It's going to be hard to remember all the combos you've already made. Best of luck!

I assume he's going to check through to make sure it's not a repeat. Again, good luck.

[Talin Agasan]

But you could just calculate it?

Also, a few combinations have limited usage, since they may not be very sturdy or may be too imbalanced.

Let's see. Each brick has 8 possible points of attachments on top and eight beneath (the eight beneath may be ignored if the colour is not considered - as the rotational possibilities are also ignored). However, each brick can be rotated by 180 degrees with no difference which reduces the possibilities by a factor of 2 for each brick. The next brick has two possible angles of attachment (if connected to two studs, and ignoring all the rotational possibilities of being connected by only one stud). On each of the eight possible studs of the first brick, there are then 16 possibilities for the second brick, though eight of these are the same (this is when it is connected to two studs - four in each direction):

(4 x 4 x 2) - 8 = 24 combinations.

I think this is right. Calculate the additional combinations of the third brick for homework everyone!

[Doctor Sinister]

But that's the whole point, I don't WANT to just calculate it. Can't a guy have a little fun?

Dr. S.

[barry]

But that's the whole point, I don't WANT to just calculate it. Can't a guy have a little fun?

Dr. S.

this man is a deranged brick person....

he's not gonna calculate (to easy), he's gonna inter lock(more fun)!

spot on!

barry over and out

10-4

[Captain Green Hair]

1.060.........that is almost 3 years if you do one each day.

Good luck on this quest doctor!

[Talin Agasan]

But that's the whole point, I don't WANT to just calculate it. Can't a guy have a little fun?

Dr. S.

Some people think calculating is fun... especially using bricks to count with.

Which is more deranged I wonder?

All the best in your trek beyond the frontiers of brickology. I hope your travels are well-documented. Maybe you should name each combination too?

[Bricks]

That's a really nice idea.

I looking forward to your finished photos.

That will be really interesting.

If you have finished it you can try this with 5 pieces

Regards 'Bricks'

[barry]

no i think each 3 brick combination should be photographed in increasingly in appropriate places!

that would allow the insanity to develop over the course of the experiment!

barry over and out!

10-4

[prateek]

TLC said this in some info sheet but they didnt show all the possibilities so kudos on that

[3.14 Toasts]

I would calculate it , but I still wish you great luck.