Domino is a popular children’s toy that can be stacked on end in long lines and knocked over. This can produce very elaborate designs. It’s also a good way to demonstrate the domino effect, which is when one action causes a series of greater actions with more significant consequences.
In the most basic form, dominoes are rectangular tiles with numbers or symbols on both sides. Each tile has a value that ranges from six pips down to none or blank, indicating its rank or weight. Normally, dominoes are doubled up to make them easier to re-stack after use. A “double” is a domino with two identical ends, forming a cross with its partner. A domino may be played to a position that produces an open end, or it may be connected at a right-angle to another domino, producing two open ends (for example, a 6-6 straddling a 5-5).
The most common set of dominoes commercially available contains 91 tiles in a double-twelve and double-nine configuration. Larger sets exist for playing longer games and for people who want to create more complex layouts. The most popular form of domino play is the layout game, which is divided into blocking and scoring games. Blocking games are games that prevent other players from making a play, while scoring games involve counting the number of pips on lost tiles and assigning them points.
To play a domino layout, a player draws a number of tiles from a deck or other source, and places them on the table in front of him. Each player then takes turns putting a domino down on the table. A domino must touch an open end in order to be played, and it is possible to build chains of dominoes that reach across the entire table.
The energy from a domino that falls transfers to other dominoes in the chain, providing the push needed to knock over all of them. This energy is called potential energy and can be converted to kinetic energy as the chain continues.
Dominoes have been used for centuries as toys and tools in mathematical games, but they have evolved into an art form as well. Artists have reshaped the pieces into curves and straight lines, grids that form pictures when the dominoes fall, and 3D structures such as towers and pyramids.
For the domino fanatic who wants to take this hobby to the next level, Hevesh offers her Domino Art Book. It is filled with tips and techniques for planning out the ultimate domino art. Her methods are reminiscent of the engineering-design process, and she provides examples of how different elements can be connected to create amazing shapes.
In business, Domino’s CEO David Brandon recognized that the company was losing its reputation as a top workplace and implemented new changes. He listened to employees, paid attention to complaints and kept the lines of communication open. When he was replaced by Doyle, he promoted this value and made it clear that Domino’s will always champion its customers.