Dominoes are small rectangular blocks with one side bearing a pattern of spots or pips that resemble those on dice. They can be used to play a variety of games, including scoring and blocking. A traditional set contains 28 dominoes, which are sometimes called tiles or dominos. Each domino has an identity-bearing end that is either blank or marked with an arrangement of spots or pips similar to those on dice, and some of the ends have numbers indicating its value (e.g., one through six). The other two ends are usually “blank” or identically patterned.
Dominoes have many uses, from learning math to developing problem-solving skills. They can be used to create artistic designs or structures, and they are popular with students because of their low cost and portability. They also can be used to teach children the importance of following instructions, since each domino has a specific order in which it should be placed.
When a domino is pushed onto its edge, it generates kinetic energy and pushes over the next domino in line. The process continues until all the dominoes have fallen, and it is possible to create very long chains of dominoes. The concept behind these chains is known as the domino effect.
Before players begin a game of domino, they must mix up the tiles so that each player draws an equal number of the same tiles. The first player may be determined by drawing lots, or by a process of shuffling whereby the tiles are placed face down on a flat surface and one player moves them around randomly without maintaining contact with any particular tile. The players then draw one domino each, and the player who draws the highest double goes first.
Once a domino is played, it cannot be reclaimed by an opponent. The winner of a multi-round game is the player who scores the most points over a given number of rounds. Scores are typically awarded for each domino that a player lays, with double-blank dominoes counting as either one or two (depending on the rules agreed upon by the players).
When Hevesh designs her mind-blowing domino setups, she follows a version of the engineering design process. She begins by considering the theme or purpose of her installation, then brainstorms images and words that might be associated with it. She then makes test versions of each section of the design, and films them in slow motion to make precise corrections as necessary. Once she has a working prototype, she builds the bigger 3-D sections of her installation before adding flat arrangements and finally lines of dominoes. She continues this process until her domino design is complete.