Mathemagics A Magical Journey Through Advanced Mathematics Connecting More Than 60 Magic Tricks To High Level Math

'This delightful book connects mathematical concepts in a dozen areas to magic tricks. Expositions of the mathematics precede description and analysis of the tricks. The expositions are too short for in-depth learning; the intent is to give sophomores a taste of the content and ideas of later mathematics courses. Each chapter features exercises on the mathematics, and students can have fun practicing the tricks.'Mathematics MagazineTeixeira and Park present over 60 different magic tricks while introducing students to high-level math areas. Readers will learn really interesting ideas that will better prepare them for future courses and help them finding areas they might want to study deeper. And as a 'side effect' students will learn amazing magic tricks, century-old secrets, and details from famous magicians and mathematicians.The material was written to quickly present key concepts in several mathematical areas in direct way. Little or no proficiency in math is assumed. In fact, students do not require any Calculus knowledge. And since chapters are almost independent from each other, this book also work as introduction to several other courses.Topics covered include mathematical proofs, probability, abstract algebra, linear algebra, mathematical computing, number theory, coding theory, geometry, topology, real analysis, numerical analysis and history of math.

Teixeira and Park present over 60 different magic tricks while introducing students to high-level math areas. Readers will learn really interesting ideas that will better prepare them for future courses and help them finding areas they might want to study deeper. And as a "side effect" students will learn amazing magic tricks, century-old secrets, and details from famous magicians and mathematicians. The material was written to quickly present key concepts in several mathematical areas in direct way. Little or no proficiency in math is assumed. In fact, students do not require any Calculus knowledge. And since chapters are almost independent from each other, this book also work as introduction to several other courses. Topics covered include mathematical proofs, probability, abstract algebra, linear algebra, mathematical computing, number theory, coding theory, geometry, topology, real analysis, numerical analysis and history of math.

Each chapter is written to quickly show an important feature related to different areas, and with direct applications in magic tricks. For instance, students will study Group Theory with definitions and some key results, then they will see them as explanation for a classic magician secret: Si Stebbin's card system. The application to magic tricks has proven very inspiring, and students would be less intimidated with advanced topics.Some highlights from the chapters are:- Chapter 1, Mathematical Proofs: We use this chapter to set a base for the book; it covers proofs by construction, contradiction, induction, and string induction. It offers a variety of definitions that will be used throughout the book. We relate the material with a generalization of one simple trick, and the generalization of a famous Penn and Teller magic trick.- Chapter 2, Probability: we introduce counting principles, probability trees, hypothesis testing, and some very interesting relation to magic tricks.- Chapter 3, Abstract Algebra: finite groups, permutation group, orbit, and a classic magicians' secret (Si Stebbins). We have included twelve tricks to exemplify the material.- Chapter 4, Linear Algebra: inverse matrix, rank, linearly independence, vector spaces, eigenvalue and eigenvector, and their relation to magic squares.- Chapter 5, Elementary Number Theory: positional systems, binary, octal, hexadecimal, arithmetic with other bases. There are several magic tricks to illustrate the material, from card tricks, calendar trick, mentalism, etc.- Chapter 6, Advanced Number Theory: divisibility, prime number, primitive roots, and their relation to magic tricks through tricks performed by famous mental-math expert Arthur Benjamin, and Fields Medal recipient Manjul Bhargava.- Chapter 7, Coding Theory: parity check, Hamming code, expanding Hamming code, Double error correction, Reed-Solomon decoding, Fast Fourier Transform, and their relation to magic tricks though some original tricks.- Chapter 8, Geometry: Euclidean and Non-euclidean geometry, symmetries, rotations, and some tricks.- Chapter 9, Topology and Knot Theory: winding numbers, Euler characteristic, Konigsburg Bridges, Eulerian tours, graph invariants, and their relation to magic tricks with examples from Martin Gardner, Criss Angel, and others.- Chapter 10, Real Analysis: sequences, series, epsilon proofs, and their relation to magic tricks. We reveal the basis for a magician secret prop that can be related to series.- Chapter 11, Numerical Analysis: Computer arithmetic, Bisection Method, other methods for finding solutions numerically, and magic tricks where readers will learn how to make a ``gimmick'' to find cards.- Chapter 12, History of Math: Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, Europeans, and their relation to magic tricks.Each chapter starts with a presentation of a key concept in the area, followed by a section on the relationship of the concepts with magic tricks. Then some magic tricks are presented and explained. Chapter ends with exercises section.

"Magical Mathematics reveals the secrets of amazing, fun-to-perform card tricks--and the profound mathematical ideas behind them--that will astound even the most accomplished magician. Persi Diaconis and Ron Graham provide easy, step-by-step instructions for each trick, explaining how to set up the effect and offering tips on what to say and do while performing it. Each card trick introduces a new mathematical idea, and varying the tricks in turn takes readers to the very threshold of today's mathematical knowledge. For example, the Gilbreath principle--a fantastic effect where the cards remain in control despite being shuffled--is found to share an intimate connection with the Mandelbrot set. Other card tricks link to the mathematical secrets of combinatorics, graph theory, number theory, topology, the Riemann hypothesis, and even Fermat's last theorem. Diaconis and Graham are mathematicians as well as skilled performers with decades of professional experience between them. In this book they share a wealth of conjuring lore, including some closely guarded secrets of legendary magicians. Magical Mathematics covers the mathematics of juggling and shows how the I Ching connects to the history of probability and magic tricks both old and new. It tells the stories--and reveals the best tricks--of the eccentric and brilliant inventors of mathematical magic. Magical Mathematics exposes old gambling secrets through the mathematics of shuffling cards, explains the classic street-gambling scam of three-card monte, traces the history of mathematical magic back to the thirteenth century and the oldest mathematical trick--and much more"-

The world's greatest mental mathematical magician takes us on a spellbinding journey through the wonders of numbers (and more) "Arthur Benjamin . . . joyfully shows you how to make nature's numbers dance." -- Bill Nye (the science guy) The Magic of Math is the math book you wish you had in school. Using a delightful assortment of examples-from ice-cream scoops and poker hands to measuring mountains and making magic squares-this book revels in key mathematical fields including arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and calculus, plus Fibonacci numbers, infinity, and, of course, mathematical magic tricks. Known throughout the world as the "mathemagician," Arthur Benjamin mixes mathematics and magic to make the subject fun, attractive, and easy to understand for math fan and math-phobic alike. "A positively joyful exploration of mathematics." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review "Each [trick] is more dazzling than the last." -- Physics World

Famed puzzle expert explains math behind a multitude of mystifying tricks: card tricks, stage "mind reading," coin and match tricks, counting out games, geometric dissections, etc. More than 400 tricks. 135 illustrations.

Stimulating treasury of entertaining tricks, stunts, and magical effects based on such mathematical principles and ideas as magic squares, the Fibonacci Series, Moebius strips, cycloids, topology, and more. Only simple props required: from playing cards and matches to coins. No magic or mathematical skills needed.

Mathematical card effects offer both beginning and experienced magicians an opportunity to entertain with a minimum of props. Featuring mostly original creations, Mathematical Card Magic: Fifty-Two New Effects presents an entertaining look at new mathematically based card tricks. Each chapter contains four card effects, generally starting with simple applications of a particular mathematical principle and ending with more complex ones. Practice a handful of the introductory effects and, in no time, you’ll establish your reputation as a "mathemagician." Delve a little deeper into each chapter and the mathematics gets more interesting. The author explains the mathematics as needed in an easy-to-follow way. He also provides additional details, background, and suggestions for further explorations. Suitable for recreational math buffs and amateur card lovers or as a text in a first-year seminar, this color book offers a diverse collection of new mathemagic principles and effects.

Do you enjoy magic? Do you enjoy mathematics? If the answer to either (or both) of these questions is yes, then this is a book for you. Inside the book you will find a collection of twenty magic tricks that are all based on some mathematics. For each trick there is a step-by-step routine to ensure that the performance you give looks both polished and professional. This book is particularly well-suited to mathematics teachers who are looking for interesting and original starter activities to use in their lessons. Mathematics students from age nine up to university level should also find the book entertaining as the mathematical skills required to appreciate the maths behind the magic are wide ranging.