Title |
The Generalized Apex Magic Trick |
Authors |
Yossi Elran |
Abstract |
Many card tricks are based on mathematic principles. One such trick is known as the "apex number triangle". In this trick, the basic tool the magician uses to make a prediction is the "modulo 9" vector product between a row of numbers chosen by a spectator and the corresponding row in Pascal's triangle. In this paper we will show how to explore the fractal structure of the modulo versions of Pascal's triangle to produce different "magic" procedures, how to "work" them under different initial conditions, and how to prove pictorially a theorem regarding these kind of problems. |
Keywords |
mathematical card tricks, Martin Gardner, Pascal's triangle |
Milestones |
Published: 2014/09/23 |
Author Details |
Yossi Elran yossi.elran@weizmann.ac.il Weizmann Institute of Science - Davidson Institute of Science Education, Israel |