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I have just been asked to do an hour long mathematical show for 12/13 year old kids, and the idea intrigues me. So I said yes. My idea is a demonstration split into three.
Part one will be mathematical magic, with the magic square a key part.
Part two will be rapid calculations. I have been putting it on the long finger, but will now order Harry Lorrayne's book on the subject.
Part three will be memory demonstrations.
That's my thinking now, but I am open to any suggestions, insights or ideas. The more the merrier. Tony.

You could get some sponge numbers as a silly intelude between all the real maths?

to me.. It sounds like my idea of hell. but then as everybody knows I realy hate magic squares.

now in P.M.M. & Fulves self working number magic, there are some effects and ideas using Calanders.
Introducing these might ring the changes, and it would be easy to make up such things, because you can print off calenders using word.

There's some good stuff in Paul Brook's "Chrysalis of a Polymath" which may be of use.

Richard

Me too, t'is my idea of hell. But then my degree is in sociology because there wasn't a lot of math, (I was lied too there is).

Don't forget about stuff like Grey Elephant in Denmark, and that whole principal of 9

What about almost real prediction? By Jack London or Marc Paul has a good version in his Fleetwood notes.

midge25 wrote:Marc Paul has a good version in his Fleetwood notes.

Highly recommended, a bit of work, at leisure, to set the effect up and it all works very well indeed!

I've been developing a similar show for a few years now. Although there are some things in Lorayne's book, it's monstrously overpriced and all the good things are in the Gardner book (Mathematics, Magic and Mystery) and Art Benjamin's book (which has several different titles).

BTW - when is your show? Lightening calculation is not something that can be learned in an afternoon!

Ian

Hi Ian. I have until early July, so I have plenty of time. But if I can make this good, I might have a school show.
My degree is in maths, so it is an area of interest that has been lying dormant.

Hi Tony,

If you can, check out Larry Becker's "Stunners plus" It has two fantastic number routines.

"Digitellus" is a nice quick adding routine which is faster than a calculator.

"Some total update" is a little corker which allows you to add up 4x 5 digit numbers chosen by the audience in a split of a second. A really lovely effect.

Hope that helps

Alec

Greg Arce's variation of Becker's sum total (awe-some total) from his book simple minded is a great routine, definitely worth checking out. If you're not familiar with the effect, a paper bag is sitting on a table. Inside is a calculator and some slip of paper. The audience is asked to name a number out loud. Tis is repeated until a 6 digit number is created. The papers in the bag are taken out and added up by the spectator, using the calculator. The total of the slips equals the number just created moments earlier by the audience.

Docc Hilford also has Styx on the vault DVD. It's a cool of rapid calculation using the old Mental logs trick.

Check out the Magic for Computer Science book produced by CS4Fun - http://www.cs4fn.org/magic/downloads/cs ... cbook1.pdf

Its got a few really nice maths bits in it.

It sounds great, but I would suggest that you start practicing lightning calculation straight away, and devote a good deal of time to it. The results take time to show.

You can also add an enchanted rubik cube to the mix, to demonstrate there is a mathematical way to solve a cube.