Uncle Brian presents some online magic & illusions

Magic Numbers ...

Magic Cards ...

I will deal 5 cards .. then remove the one you are thinking of.

Phone Number Magic ...

I will get a calculator to tell you your telephone number !

1. Grab a calculator
   (You won't be able to do this one in your head)
2. Key in the first three digits of your phone number (NOT the area code)
3. Multiply by 8
4. Add 1
5. Multiply by 250
6. Add the last 4 digits of your phone number
7. Add the last 4 digits of your phone number again
8. Subtract 250
9. Divide number by 2
10. Is that your number ? !!

Divide and Conquer ...

1. Grab a calculator
   (You won't be able to do this one in your head)

Think of ANY three digit number - then repeat it to form a six digit number (e.g. 123123)

2. Multiply this six digit number by 9 and divide by 11
   (I predict there will be no remainder !)
3. Divide the answer by 7
   (I predict there will be no remainder !)
4. Divide the answer by 3
   (i predict there will be no remainder !)
5. Multiply the answer by 2 and divide by 13
   (I predict there will be no remainder !)
6. Divide the answer by six

I predict the answer = the first number you thought of !

 

Odd Card Prediction ...

I predict that you will end up with an ODD number of piles that contain an EVEN number of cards!

Now try this ...

• Take a full deck of 52 playiing cards (remove the jokers)
• Think of a number between 5 and 10 (inclusive)
  Call this X
• Remove X cards from the deck
• Cut the remaining cards into piles in any way you like
• Pick up any one of the piles and deal the cards from this pileonto the other piles, in any way you like (i.e. deal as many as you like on each pile)
• Count the number of cards in each of the remaining piles.

As predicted you have an ODD number of piles that contain an EVEN number of cards.

For example you might have 3 (odd) piles containing an even number of cards (e.g. 4, 2 and 6 cards) together with, perhaps, one or more piles that contain an odd number of cards.

Click my magic hat to return to the Home Page

Left Brain, Right Brain ...

While sitting at your desk, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles.

Now, while doing this, draw the number "6" in the air with your right hand.

Your foot will change direction .......
and there's nothing you can do about it.

The Magic Square ...

1 15 14 4 12 6 7 9 8 10 11 5 13 3 2 16

Note how the total ....

- of every row equals 34
- of every column equals 34
- of both diagonals equals 34
- of the four corner cells equals 34
- of the four central cells equals 34

Now try this ...

• Take a sheet of paper about 8-10 inches square.
• Fold the sheet in half four times so that the folds make a 4 x 4 grid of cells. Open out the sheet and make the folds clear and precise (folding both ways will help).
• Write out the magic square numbers in the cells made by the folds (write the numbers in the centre of each cell).
• Take a scissors and carefully cut along the folds IN ANY WAY YOU WANT, providing only that you do not detach any portion of the sheet.
• Now fold together the sections of the sheet (along the folds already made) IN ANY WAY YOU WANT. Try to make the folding as random and convoluted as you can. You can place folds inside folds if you wish. Do this until the sheet is folded into a packet the size of a single cell.
• Take the scissors and carefully trim the edges of the packet by about a quarter inch, so that all the cells are now separate.
• Deal the cells out onto the table. You will notice that some of the numbers are face-up and others are face-down, as determined by your random pattern of cutting and folding.
• Now count up the total of the face-up numbers.
• Divide this total by two.

Your answer should convince you that this indeed a very magic square !

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