[Help Thread] Algorithm Memorization Discussion

[cookingfat]

For me it always helps when I try to break long algorithms into smaller (logic) parts.

For this one
r2 - B2 - U2 - l - U2 - r' - U2 - r - U2 - F2 - r - F2 - l' - B2 - r2
it would be sth like this:

r2 B2 in the beginning, [--> reverse in the end (B2 r2)]
next part is
l towards you, then U2 nope, U2, then l towards you then U2 again

then it's
r towards you, U2, r back, U2 again
then it's
F2, right half away from you, F2, left half away from you
now you do the reverse of the beginning part: B2 r2

Until I have a long algorithm lilke this in my muscle memory, I write it down like this:
(r2 B2)
(l U2) (This should be U2 l U2)
(r' U2)(r U2)
(F2 r)(F2 l')
(B2 r2)

sorry to correct you, but you missed out a U2

and btw, that's exactly how I remembered it, just you explained it better.

 

[Krazy Jeff]

Maybe this helps, here is where I got the algorithims you guys are disscussing.

r ² U ² r ² U ² u ² r ² u ²
r ² B ² U ² l U ² r ' U ² r U ² F ² r F ² l ' B ² r ²
can be found here: http://www.speedcubing.com/chris/4-movelist3.html

 

[TimMc]

(r2 B2)
(l U2)
(r' U2)(r U2)
(F2 r)(F2 l')
(B2 r2)

I memo it as:

rbu - lur - uru - frf - lbr

I don't have to think too hard about the notation, just a few rough letters will help me along...

Tim.

 

[Neroflux]

I believe my avatar is a picture of a popular clock/alarm that was sold in the 80s that looked like a rubik's cube.

No it's a clock that's being sold now. you can turn the U face to adjust date and time.

 

[Sir E Brum]

PS: it doesn't really take that long to memorize an algorithm... it is just boring as ****.

I like memorizing algorithms =\

I agree with most of the other people though. I mainly look at the top of the cube after each finger trick and that really helps for stuff like

U R' U' R U' R U R U' R' U R U R2 U' R' U

 

[Genie1048]

personally, to remember long algorithms, like the square-1 parity, I notice patterns in the akgs, for example, maybe the alg starts off with R U2 R' U2, and I remember R, U2, R the other way, and then U2 again.

sounds hard, but is surprisingly easy

 

[Garmon]

I wrote the 4x4 ones on my wall, I'll do it again before the comp.

 

[Krazy Jeff]

Good news guys! I finally memorized all the parities I mentioned above! The final one that is 15 steps long took me the longest to memorize, but what I did was just concentrate on doing that parity with my cube until I memorized it. Did it last night, and now today, I can solve it without the need to look at my notes. So congratulate me please!!

Now my next goal is to learn to solve the 2x2--which I hear is very easy. And then go for the 5x5--which I hear doesn't have parities. I look forward someday in order the V-Cubes 6x6 and 7x7.

 

[Ryanrex116]

The r2 - B2 - U2 - l - U2 - r' - U2 - r - U2 - F2 - r - F2 - l' - B2 - r2 one I took about 3 months to memo. I put it on paper and one day i couldn't find the paper. I just decided to try to do it without and i did it. I have had no trouble ever since.

 

[Ryanrex116]

Good news guys! I finally memorized all the parities I mentioned above! The final one that is 15 steps long took me the longest to memorize, but what I did was just concentrate on doing that parity with my cube until I memorized it. Did it last night, and now today, I can solve it without the need to look at my notes. So congratulate me please!!

Now my next goal is to learn to solve the 2x2--which I hear is very easy. And then go for the 5x5--which I hear doesn't have parities. I look forward someday in order the V-Cubes 6x6 and 7x7.

The 5x5 does have parities, but i used your 4x4 algorithms to solve it.

 

[Krazy Jeff]

I also think it would have taken me more than a month, if I kept doing it the same way. To seek for the assistance of my notes when I needed that parity in order to solve the puzzle. The problem is that it doesn't always ask for it, so we don't practice it too much. So this is why I just focused on learning that parity no matter what state the cube was in. Just practice the moves so my ol brain can learn it--glad it took me a few minutes to learn it when just repeating over and over that parity with my cube. By the end of the VP debate, I had already mastered it!

I still haven't looked into what algorithms are required to solve the 5x5. But as soon as I feel I have mastered solving the 4x4, I'll be ready to move on to that one.

 

[Servo]

I knew that algorithms. That are pogobat's (Dan Brown) way. Just for adding info, all of you can see it on youtube site with keysearch "HOW TO SOLVE 3x3x3 RUBIK CUBE."

 

[hawkmp4]

Good news guys! I finally memorized all the parities I mentioned above! The final one that is 15 steps long took me the longest to memorize, but what I did was just concentrate on doing that parity with my cube until I memorized it. Did it last night, and now today, I can solve it without the need to look at my notes. So congratulate me please!!

Now my next goal is to learn to solve the 2x2--which I hear is very easy. And then go for the 5x5--which I hear doesn't have parities. I look forward someday in order the V-Cubes 6x6 and 7x7.

The 5x5 does have parities, but i used your 4x4 algorithms to solve it.

No, the 5x5 does not have parities. There are always an even number of swaps.
Edges on a 5x5 can be solved exactly like those of a 4x4.

 

[Krazy Jeff]

Yes, thanks for the reply. I have already mastered the 5x5 within a few hours of trying. It was easy to learn the parity in the 5x5.

It take a bit of practice to make the inner squares and then the tredges. But it is at least fun to do it.

 

[Neutrals01]

hmm..for memorizing short or long algorithm, I convert all of the notations to arrow form... like example R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R' U' R U R' F' (T-perm).. whenever I perform this algo.. I talk to myself silently in my mind >> up left down right down clockwise down down right down right up left down anticlockwise.. a weird way of memorizing.. but it helps me to remember algorithm in like 5~10 mins per algorithm.. or another way is remember in patterns.. split it into 3~5 short algorithms and memorize..(but I also convert it to arrows). Few days ago one of my school friends showed me his J-perm..after he showed me once or twice(as he turns, I convert it to arrows),after that I performed it 30 seconds later and able to do and memorize it.. don't know this memorizing method is good or not, but it worked well for me.

 

[DAE_JA_VOO]

All i do to remember algs is do them over and over. I don't EVER remember the actual moves, i.e. R U F U etc, i just do the motions on a cube and my brain learns that after a few minutes of that, my brain remembers the alg. All i do then is do it over and over and over to get get it faster.

 

[EricOnCrack]

Jeff, I had great fun teaching my 7-year-old daughter to solve 4x4x4. For her, the strategy that worked best for teaching her the harder algorithms was this:

1. I showed her the algorithm by holding it so she could see the moves from her perspective, a bunch of times.
2. I talked her through the algorithm a number of times, so she could do it herself.
3. I had her practice the algorithm over and over again, and I watched every move and corrected her whenever she went wrong.

After just a handful of times, she got where I only needed to correct her once or twice even during OLL parity. And after another 20 or so tries, she could get it without me needing to correct her even once.

She doesn't practice very often, sometimes going a month or more between solves. So when she picks it back up, I usually have to go through step 3 with her for 10 or so more tries on each difficult algorithm so she can solve it again. I'll be going through that again soon for the Lexington competition, no doubt. She gets faster every time, though.

that's amazing your daughter can remember all that stuff. I suppose kids learn stuff like that easier.

How fast can she actually solve it?

About 5 minutes now. This is her:
http://www.worldcubeassociation.org/results/p.php?i=2007HUGH04

I'm especially proud of her managing an average at the last competition. On the DNF, she temporarily forgot the OLL parity, but she successfully did the OLL parity on a couple of the other solves.

HOLY CRAP LOL. She's quite talented.

 

[Ton]

I follow some pieces and name the patterns I see e.g a "bar" -corner+ edge- .e.g

R U R' U' F R F

I would rember as

bar out R U R'
U'
Back the other way
F R F

All the time I would look at the original DFR corner+ edge

Same for the sune

-bar out to back

- Bar to front

-bar back



Ton

 

[IamWEB]

Fi U Li Ui - I decided to not remember this algorithm after performing, because it was only 4 moves, non-repeating. After you get used to making your cross, you won't need memory at all to do this one. Just watch what happens on the cube when you do it.

Ri Di R D
-I find it easier to turn the cube sideways to the right (do a Fi to the entire cube, also known as a Zi), and do Ui Ri U R. Once you get the fingertricks down for it, it's VERY fast. You can do it 6 times in under 2 seconds! To practice it, start with a U and learn the fingertricks.

Ui Li U L U F Ui Fi
-I learned this algorithm and the following by repeating them out loud several times, but it's easier with muscle memory and this algorithm:

Hold the cube that the middle piece you're going to insert is on the Right side, not the front: Ri Ui Ri Ui Ri U R U R

Very easy

U R ui Ri Ui Fi U F
*you typed ui, it's Ui, there's a difference you'll learn in the future*
-Hold the cube the same way as in the previous algorithm, but now do this:

R U R U R Ui Ri Ui Ri
Just take all of the clockwise turns and and make them counterclicke, and vise-versa.

F R U Ri Ui Fi
-The 2nd half is just the first half with everything inverted.

R U Ri U R U U Ri
-Fingertricks are the key to memorizing this algorithm. I learned this one originally by doing R U, change the right, U, change the right back, U, and from there I can see the rest.
HOWEVER, you must learn fingertricks to get this one even easier.

U R Ui Li U Ri Ui L
-I found this the hardest to memorize of them all when I first learn, and so once again I had to repeat it to myself until I memorized it. I soon learned that if you watch what's happening you'll remember it.
After the U, you bring out the right side, and push it away. Now take out the left, and push it the opposite way. This let's you restore the right side, and then you the left back and restore it. Watch this happen as you execute the algorithm, and you should learn it in no-time.

Ri Di R D - This was on Dan Brown's (pogobat's) list twice, because he listed these in the order they would need to be used, so just read above.

 

[GalPro]

about memorizing PLL

hi,
There are some algorithms that switch 3 corners and 3 edges,

how can I break them to 2 parts?

sometimes I can't do it edges then corners