Sam Stem Magic
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2014 The Society of American Magicians compiled and edited by J. Christopher Bontjes Past National President 2012‐2013 The Society of American Magicians
[STEM Magic] Magic tricks you can learn that work using the principles of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math © 2014 The Society of American Magicians, PO Box 505, Parker CO 80134 www.magicsam.com
The Society of American Magicians The World’s Oldest and Most Prestigious Magic Organization and
The Society of Young Magicians Mentoring the World’s Youth in Magic Present:
STEM Magic Contents: Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and MAGIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 About The Society of American Magicians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 About The Society of Young Magicians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Instant Star . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Anti-Gravity Washers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Quarter Catch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Gravity Glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Ketchup and Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Magic Sticks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Optical Illusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Vanishing Tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Optical Illusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Technology and Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Coin through Napkin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Engineering and Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 The Knot that is Not! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Magic Rings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 21- Card Speller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Math . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 The Old Ten-Card Trick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Math . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 A Card is Found . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Math . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Hotel Card Trick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Math . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Multiplication Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Math . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 A Mathemagical Square . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Math . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Appendix – Cutting the Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Joining the S.Y.M./S.A.M. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 S.Y.M. Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
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STEM Magic
Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and MAGIC Magic is the art of illusion. The job of a magician is to entertain an audience by creating the illusion that impossible things are possible. Our hope is that our audience members will experience a moment of joy, wonder, and awe similar to that of small children as they experience the wonders of our world for the first time. Since all humans (even magicians) are bound by the same laws and limits of physics, magicians must find creative ways to create the illusion of doing the impossible. We do this by employing elements of science (both physical and psychological), technology, engineering, and math. By combining these elements and then masking them from detection by our audiences, we create the illusion of the impossible. Creators of magical effects must have a good understanding of STEM principles and of the psychology of attention control and inattentional blindness (magicians often call this misdirection). For many magical creators, the best part of inventing a new magic trick is figuring out which STEM principles to use to make their illusion believable. All magic is accomplished because of secrets. Some of the secrets are simple, and some are very complex, but all of them incorporate STEM principles. On the following pages are a few magic tricks based on STEM principles. The tricks are simple to do, but still very amazing to audiences! Read each description carefully and practice each trick thoroughly before showing it to an audience. (Mom and Dad can make a great audience while you are learning and practicing.) Make sure that you understand each part of the trick and can perform it correctly (without pausing to think about what to do next) before you present it to an audience. Doing this will help to make sure that your performance goes well and that the secrets of the trick are kept secret so that your audience can experience the wonder of magic!
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Magicians do not share their secrets with anyone except other magicians. We keep these secrets so that our audience can experience the wonder of magic. When the secret is known, the wonder of the magic vanishes. We share the secrets in this book with you as a magician as well. By sending for and reading this book, you have demonstrated an interest in learning magic. Because of this interest, we are entrusting you with the secrets contained in this book in the hope that you will enjoy learning and performing these tricks and sharing in the joy and wonder of magic. If you are interested in learning even more magic, a great place to start is your local library. Magic books can be found in the library at 793.8 in the Dewey decimal system. Most libraries have at least a few books of magic tricks on their shelves (and the ability to borrow more from other libraries). Your librarian can be a big help in finding books on magic and any other subject that interests you. To learn even more about magic and performing it well, it is best to work with other magicians. The Society of American Magicians and the Society of Young Magicians have clubs called Assemblies all across the country that help magicians young and old, new and experienced, get together to share tricks and their love of the art of magic. You can learn more at www.magicsam.com. We wish you the best of luck as you learn, practice, and perform your magic! The Society of American Magicians
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STEM Magic
About The Society of American Magicians The Society of American Magicians (S.A.M.) was founded on May 10, 1902, at a magic shop in New York City. For more than a century, S.A.M. members have worked together to elevate the art of magic, to promote harmony among magicians, and to protect the public from those who would use the techniques of magic to defraud rather than to entertain. Since its inception, more than 47,000 magicians have joined the S.A.M., including Harry Houdini, Harry Kellar, Howard Thurston, Harry Blackstone, Jr., Siegfried and Roy, Lance Burton, and David Copperfield. The S.A.M. offers the opportunity to unite and associate with leaders in the World of Magic – not only with professionals, but with amateurs, manufacturers, magic dealers, book authors and magic collectors. Through its monthly publications and annual conventions and with almost 300 chapters throughout the world, the S.A.M. provides the necessary forum for the advancement of magic through discussions, lectures, research, performances, and exchange of magic secrets within the magic community. To promote these endeavors, the S.A.M. presents awards and fellowships in recognition of outstanding achievement in the Art of Magic. Other programs of interest in The Society of American Magicians include: The Houdini Hospital Fund for magicians who need financial help with medical bills. Veterans and Military Program encourages S.A.M. members to donate performances to active and veteran members of the American military as a way of thanking them for their service. Magic Week is a week-long celebration (October 25-31) of a year’s worth of efforts of S.A.M. members donating their time and talents to provide free entertainment to those in need. Heroism and Patriotism Awards honor magicians who perform extraordinary deeds. The Society of Young Magicians (S.Y.M.) is a youth program to mentor the art of magic to youth aged 7 thru 17. More information is available at our web site: www.magicsam.com
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About The Society of Young Magicians The Society of Young Magicians (S.Y.M.) was chartered in 1981 as a youth division of The Society of American Magicians (S.A.M.). The S.Y.M. is a worldwide organization with the purpose of mentoring young people, ages 7 – 17, in the art of magic and promoting fellowship among its members. Studying and performing magic produces some very positive results, including: Confidence and poise in front of an audience Hand-eye coordination Discipline in study and practice Trust in keeping the secrets of magic Friendships with other magic enthusiasts around the world Popularity and the ability to make new friends Studies in art and culture Many celebrities started out as young magicians, including Johnny Carson, Dick Cavett, Neil Patrick Harris, Jason Alexander, Muhammad Ali, Steve Martin, General Norman Schwartzkopf and Woody Allen. Magic can become a lifelong hobby that nurtures creativity, expression, and interpersonal connections and whose purpose is entertainment and the sharing of joy and wonder. The S.Y.M. is here to help. All members are required to abide by our membership pledge:
I promise to do my best to improve the Art of Magic and to follow the rules of The Society of Young Magicians. I agree not to tell any of the secrets of magic to anyone who is not a magician and to try to discourage others from telling these secrets. I will be honest and fair as a magician and try to cooperate with others who are interested in magic. I agree to help other magicians in any way that I can. I will encourage them to perfect our art. I will not make fun of or ridicule the efforts of any magician. I will strive to use my magic in a positive way for my personal enjoyment and for the amazement and enjoyment of my family, friends, and others.
Members are eligible to join local chapters or “Assemblies” of the S.Y.M., and will receive online access to the SYMbol, our monthly e-zine (including back issues), access to an online media library, and more. More information is available at www.magicsam.com/s-y-m-youthprogram/
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STEM Magic
Instant Star Effect: Bent toothpicks magically move to form a star. Preparation: Bend five toothpicks in half so that they are almost completely broken, but still connected. Each toothpick should form a “V.” Arrange the toothpicks in a circle on a hard surface with the bent centers facing the center as shown at right. Method: Explain to your audience that the five bent toothpicks could be turned around to create a star, but that you are going to create a star magically, without touching the toothpicks. Using an eyedropper or a straw, place a few drops of water (just a few!) in the center of the circle, making sure that the water touches each toothpick. Watch as the toothpicks slowly unbend and move to create a five-pointed star.
Science Note: When the water touches the broken part of the bent toothpicks, some water will be absorbed through capillary action. This will cause the toothpicks to straighten out a bit. As the center bends straighten out, the points will touch and form a five-point star.
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Anti-Gravity Washers Effect: Defy gravity with science! Materials: Piece of string about three feet long 15 washers Method: Tie 14 washers to one end of the string and one washer to the other end of the string. Put the string over a spectator’s finger so that the 14 washers are about an inch from their finger and hold the one washer at about a 90-degree angle from the 14. Ask the spectators what they think will happen if you let go of the single washer (see picture below). They will probably predict that the 14 washers will crash to the table or the floor below.
Let go of the single washer. As the 14 washers fall, the friction of the string on the spectator’s finger and the pendulum effect on the end of the string with the single washer will cause the washer and string to wrap around the spectator’s finger, stopping the 14 washers before they can fall to the table or the floor! Science Note: The pendulum effect starts the single washer swinging (with some help from inertia and centrifugal force), and the friction caused by the string sliding over the spectator’s finger helps to slow down the 14 washers to give the single washer enough time to wrap around the spectator’s finger.
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STEM Magic
Quarter Catch Challenge: Place a stack of quarters on your elbow, then catch them with the same hand – without using your other hand or dropping any quarters. Method: Place the quarters on your elbow as shown (Fig. 1). Quickly move your arm down, rotating at the shoulder. The quarters will fall with the force of gravity, but your hand can move faster. The quarters should contact your hand at about the joint where your fingers connect to your palm (Fig. 2). When you feel the quarters touch your hand, close your fingers quickly around them. Keep moving your arm until your hand is closed around the quarters.
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Hints: This may take some practice. Try to keep your elbow still and move only from the shoulder. Begin by practicing with a single quarter, then begin to add more. How many can you catch? Science Note: Because gravity affects all quarters equally, your quarters will stay together in their stack throughout this trick. This is also true when you drop a stack of quarters. They only spread apart when they bounce off the ground and then each other!
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STEM MAGIC
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A Glass Filled with Gravity Effect: You fill a glass completely with water, then add pennies without spilling a drop. Materials: A glass A plate Water Several pennies Presentation: Put the glass on the plate (to catch any water that might spill) and fill the glass as full of water as you can. Pour the water carefully into the center of the glass so the rim of the glass doesn’t get wet. When the glass is so full that it won’t hold another drop, pick up the pennnies one at a time and gently drop them into the water. Your audience will be amazed that, as you drop the pennies into the water, the water doesn’t overflow the glass, but instead bulges up out of the glass, apparently defying the laws of gravity! Hint: Put the pennies into the water on edge in the center of the glass and break the surface of the water with each coin before letting go. Science Note: This trick works because of a scientific phenomenon known as surface tension. Surface tension will allow the water to bulge up quite a bit above the surface of the glass before spilling over the side. Experiment with different glasses to see how many pennies you can add.
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STEM Magic
Ketchup and Down Effect: You magically cause a ketchup packet to rise and fall at your command, even though it is sealed inside a bottle of water. Preparation: Float ketchup packets in a bowl of water one at a time until you find one that barely floats. Put this packet into a plastic bottle. Fill the bottle all the way to the brim with water (leave no air space at all) and screw the lid on the bottle firmly. Squeeze the bottle gently. The packet should sink inside the bottle. (If it does not work, check to see that the bottle is completely full of water or try a different ketchup packet.) Presentation: Show your audience the ketchup packet floating in the bottle of water. Hold the bottle up so that the audience can see it clearly. Explain that you are going to use magic to cause the packet to sink. Concentrate and stare at the ketchup packet. (If you can hold the bottle in one hand, you can hold the other hand beside the bottle and wiggle your fingers as well. This does not change how the trick works, but it looks very magical.) As you do this, gently squeeze the bottle to cause the packet to sink. You can also cause the packet to rise in the bottle by releasing the pressure from your hand. With practice, you can find just the right amount of pressure to make the packet hover in the center of the bottle.
Science Note: Every ketchup packet has a small air bubble in it when it is sealed. Each packet is different. You need to find one with a bubble just the right size so that it almost sinks, but just barely floats in a bowl of water. Filling the bottle all the way to the brim with water removes all the air. Now, when you squeeze the bottle, it changes the pressure in the bottle and compresses the air bubble in the ketchup packet. This changes the packet’s density and causes it to sink.
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Science Note – The sticks are actually the same size. The difference is an optical illusion created by the shape.
Optical Illusion – Cut out the magic sticks above. Which one is longer? It is always the one on the bottom!
STEM MAGIC 2014
Magic Sticks
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STEM Magic
The Vanishing Tree Effect: A tree vanishes right before your spectator’s eyes. Performance: Cut out the picture below, then cut it into three pieces as indicated by the black lines. Line the pieces up as they are currently (with the smallest piece at the top right) and ask a spectator to count the trees. They will find nine trees. Reverse the top two pieces and line them up with the bottom piece again (this time, with the smallest piece at the top left) and ask the spectator to count the trees again. Now there are only eight trees. Where did the other one go?
Science Note: This is an optical illusion. The picture never actually changes. It is specially drawn so that there appear to be nine trees when the small piece is on the right and only eight when it is on the left.
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Technology and Magic Oftentimes, new technology emerges that can accomplish things that look magical. (Believe it or not, there was a time when the idea of changing the channel on the television without getting up and walking across the room seemed magical.) With this in mind, magicians have often used new and emerging technology to build and/or accomplish their illusions. Today’s technological advances have allowed magicians to perform magic using tablets and smart phones. Following is a list of a few magic trick apps that can be downloaded for free or at low cost from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. This list is not intended to be comprehensive. There are many apps that can be used to perform magic. Prices range from free to over $50.00. There are also many apps designed for the purpose of teaching magic tricks rather than performing them.
iOS: App Name MagicSAM Balloons Magic
Publisher Price Description The Society Free An app for all fans of magic. Includes information of American about magic, the S.A.M., and magic tricks. Magicians iSensor Magic $1.99 A series of four different colored balloons is displayed. A spectator chooses a color. The magician blows or claps his hands and the balloon of the chosen color pops.
Android: App Name Hypnotic Spiral
Publisher Mike Perrow
Magic Trick
Lander Development
Price Description Free A rotating spiral is shown. Spectator stares at the center of the spiral for about 30 seconds. When spectator looks at something else, the object appears to grow. (Optical illusion) Free A series of cards is shown. Spectator is asked to choose and memorize just one. The series of cards is shown again, missing one card. The spectator’s card has vanished! Also includes three other tricks.
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STEM Magic
Coin through Napkin Effect: A coin, which has been securely wrapped in a napkin, penetrates through the cloth. Method: Spread a cloth napkin (or handkerchief) on the table so that one corner points toward you. Place a coin on top of the napkin, centered left-to-right and slightly forward of center front-toback (Fig. 1). Take the corner of the napkin that is nearest to you and fold it forward to cover the coin. (The top of the napkin should be folded to the edge of the coin, so that the napkin is not folded exactly in half, but the top corner extends a little past the bottom corner. – Fig. 2) With both hands, grasp the coin through the cloth and roll the cloth and the coin away from you (Fig. 3). Continue rolling until one corner of the napkin emerges from the bottom of the roll onto your side (Fig. 4). Ask the spectator to feel the coin through the cloth to prove that it is rolled inside the cloth. Grasp the corners nearest and furthest and pull them apart, unrolling the cloth (Fig. 5). The napkin will be empty and the coin will appear to have vanished. You can then lift the napkin to show that the coin has penetrated through the cloth.
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 3
Engineering/Science (Psychology) Note: From an engineering standpoint, by rolling the napkin and allowing only one corner to emerge, you have actually turned the napkin (and the coin) over. From a psychological standpoint, your audience will focus their attention on the coin in the center of the napkin and will not pay attention to the corners. This is magical misdirection in action! 14 www.magicsam.com | The Society of American Magicians
STEM MAGIC
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The Knot that is Not! With a piece of rope, make an overhand knot in the center of the rope (Fig. 1). Do not pull it tight. Leave an open loop like the one marked “C”. Make another knot that is the reverse of the one you just made. The second loop in the picture is marked “D” (Fig. 2), the “D” loop must be left open like the “C” loop. Take end “A” down and bring it through loop “C” from the far side, toward yourself (Fig. 3). Take “A” again and thread it through loop “D”, again from the far side and toward yourself (Fig. 4). Holding end "B" in the left hand and "A" in the right hand, slowly draw the ends apart and watch the knot slowly disappear. When only a small bit of the knot remains, say, “THIS IS THE KNOT THAT IS NOT!” Blow on the knot and at the same time, pull on the ends. The knot will disappear! As you pull slowly apart, hold end “A” higher, letting “B” hang below. The knot will hang there until you are ready for it to vanish.
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Engineering Note: In the last two steps of this trick, you are actually untying both knots right in front of your audience!
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STEM Magic
Magic Rings Effect: Three large newspaper rings are shown. One ring is cut down the center resulting in two rings. Another is cut, resulting in two linked rings. A third is cut, resulting in one large ring. Preparation: Fold a sheet of newspaper and cut it into two-inch strips. Open the strips and glue or tape the ends together to form three rings. (Overlap the ends about a half-inch as you glue them. If you use tape, be sure to tape all the way across on both sides.) The first ring should be glued with no twists in the paper (Fig. 1). The second ring should be glued with one half-twist in the paper (Fig. 2). The third ring should be glued with one full twist in the paper (Fig. 3).
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Performance: Display the three newspaper rings. Explain that, using magic, you will do the same thing to each ring and get a different result each time. Begin with the ring with no twists. You will need to cut all the way around along the center of the strip of newspaper that forms the loop (Fig. 4). An easy way to do this is to begin by making a crease in the rin, and a small cut in the center. Now when you unfold the crease, there is a slit in the paper to put your scissors through. Begin there, and cut all the way around the circle. Show that you Fig. 4 now have two separate rings. Next, pick up the ring with a full twist and explain that you are going to do the same thing using magic. Cut all the way around the center of the ring as you did before. This time, when you separate the rings, they will be linked together. Last, pick up the ring with a half twist. Cut all the way around the center of the ring again. When you finish and separate the pieces, it will unfold into a single, double-size ring! Engineering Note: You are actually cutting the exact same way each time. It is the half and full twist in the paper that creates the different results! Math Note: The final ring (with the half twist) is often referred to as a Möbius Strip. This orientation and its properties were discovered in 1858 by German mathematicians August Ferdinand Möbius and Johann Benedict Listing.
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STEM MAGIC
21-Card Speller Remove any 21 cards from a deck and shuffle them. Ask a helper to choose any card from the pack and to show it to everyone. (Turn your back so that you do not see the card.) Have the chosen card returned to the pack and shuffle the cards. Beginning with the pack facedown, deal all the cards out face-up into three columns, one row at a time. (First column, second column, third column, etc. – Fig. 1) Set each new row on top of the bottom half of the row before it. You should end up with three columns of seven cards each (Fig. 2). Ask your helper to tell you which column contains their card (but not the name of the card.) Pick up the cards one column at a time and stack them up, but make sure that you pick up the pile that contained your helper’s card second. Turn the pack of cards face-down. Tell your helper that you are not sure which card was picked and you need to try again, then deal the cards out the same way you did before. Again, ask your helper to tell you which column contains the chosen card (but not the card’s name). Pick up the cards just as you did before – one column at a time, making sure that the pile containing your helper’s card is picked up second. Turn the cards face-down again. Tell your helper that you are getting closer, but you are still not sure exactly which card is theirs, then deal the cards out again the same way and ask your helper which column contains the chosen card. Tell your helper that you don’t know which card was chosen, then say, “But the pack knows what your card is.” While you are saying this, pick up the cards one final time just as you did before, with the pile containing the chosen card in the middle, and turn the cards facedown. Explain that you will deal one card at a time while spelling “Your card is” and their card will be revealed. Deal cards one at a time, face-down into a single pile as you spell, “Y-O-U-RC-A-R-D-I-S.” Stop and ask your helper to name the chosen card. After the card is named, deal the next card face-up. It will be your helper’s card. Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Row 1 Row 2
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
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STEM Magic
The Old Ten-Card Trick Effect: A spectator moves any number of cards from the top to the bottom of a pack and the performer can repeatedly divine the number. Preparation: Remove an ace through ten from a deck (suits do not matter, choose them randomly). Arrange them in order with the ace on the top and the ten on the bottom. (Set an ace face-up on the table, then a 2, a 3, and so on through a 10.)
Presentation: Show the ten cards. Square them and turn the pack face-down. Explain to the spectator that they are to move any number of cards, from one to ten, from the top of the pack to the bottom, one at a time and remember that number. Demonstrate this by moving three cards (putting the three on the bottom of the pack). Hand the cards to the spectator and turn your back as they move cards from the top to the bottom. When they have finished, spread the cards in a face-down fan and silently count up from the bottom of the pack the value of the bottom card plus one (in this case – 3 + 1 = 4 cards up). Remove that card, face down, from the fan. Ask the spectator how many cards they moved. Turn over the card that you removed. The number on the card will match the number of cards they moved. Details: This is a rare trick in that it actually gets better as it is repeated. Return the card you removed to its original position in the fan and square the cards. Glimpse (peek at) the bottom card as you do this. Ask the spectator to try again. When you fan the cards this time, use the same formula – the value of the bottom card plus one – to arrive at the card you pull from the fan. You will take cards from many different places in the fan, but you will always be correct! *****When the bottom card is a nine, the correct number card will be the top card. When the bottom card is a ten, the correct number card will be the bottom card. In these two cases you can allow the spectator to reveal the card themselves. Math Note: Though it is presented as mind reading or precognition, this is a math trick. Because the cards are in number order and they are moved from the top to the bottom one at a time, the formula will always work. You will not actually know how many cards your spectator moves. You will, however, always know where to find that numbered card in the face-down fan. 18 www.magicsam.com | The Society of American Magicians
STEM MAGIC
2014
A Card is Found Effect: A chosen card is buried in the deck, then found by following clues found in the cards. Method: Ask a spectator to shuffle a deck of cards. When they finish, fan through the cards and comment on how well they are mixed. As you do this, secretly note the number value of the top and the bottom card and add them together. For this example, we will assume that the top card is an 8 and the bottom card is a 3. The total for this example is 11. Square the deck, turn the cards face down, and hold them in your left hand. Use your left thumb to spread cards to the right, keeping them in the same order. As you do this, secretly count cards until you get to the total of the top and bottom cards (11 in this example). When you reach this total, square the packet and place it on the table. (If you can, count by twos and threes. It will go more quickly and look more random.) Say that you want your spectator to choose a card from the middle and begin pushing cards to the right again. Ask the spectator to say stop at any time. When they say stop, separate the cards into two packets and place the packet in your right hand on the table. Say, “You stopped me here,” and give the top card from the left-hand packet to the spectator. Ask the spectator to look at the card, memorize it, and show it to someone else. While they are doing that, pick up the packet that was just in your right hand a moment ago and place it on top of the cards in your left hand. Ask the spectator to place their card on top of the packet in your left hand, then pick up the remaining cards from the table (the packet you counted) and place them on top of the chosen card. Place the deck on the table. Explain that you are going to find the spectator’s card by following clues in the deck, the way a detective would. Ask the spectator to cut off about two thirds of the deck and hand those cards to you. Turn over the packet of cards left on the table and explain that this is the first clue. (You will be looking at the original bottom card of the deck – a three in our example.) Say, “That card is a three, so we will count three cards.” Count cards from the packet in your hand, one at a time, face down onto the table. When you have finished, turn over the packet of cards you just counted and explain that this is the second clue. (You will be looking at the original top card of the deck – an eight in our example.) Say, “that card is an eight, so we will count eight cards.” Again, count cards one at a time, face down onto the table. When you have finished, turn this packet face up as well and explain that this is the final clue. (You will be looking at a random card. For this example, we’ll call it a six.) Say, “this card is a six, so we will count six cards.” Count the cards, as before, one card at a time, face down onto the table. Say, “If we followed the clues correctly, our search should be complete.” Turn over the final packet dealt onto the table to reveal the spectator’s card.
The Society of American Magicians | www.magicsam.com 19
2014
STEM Magic
Hotel Card Trick Effect: Randomly mixed cards magically reassemble in groups. Preparation: Remove the four jacks, four queens, four kings, and four aces from the deck. Stack them (bottom to top) jacks, queens, kings, aces. Set the rest of the deck aside. Performance: (These instructions are written for a right-handed person. If you are left-handed, simply reverse the “left”s and “right”s. This text is what you say. This text is what you do.) Hold the cards face down in your left hand in dealing position. Four ace magicians came to a hotel one day and asked for rooms. The manager said, “You’re in luck. We have only four rooms and they are all available.” Each ace magician was given his (her) own room. Deal out the four aces at the four corners of an imaginary square. Then four kings came to the hotel and they wanted rooms, too. They were told that they would have to share their rooms with the ace magicians. Deal out the four kings on top of the four aces, but slightly to the side so that both cards can be seen in each stack. When four queens came looking for rooms, they also had to share with the others. Deal out the four queens as you did the kings so that all three cards are visible in each pile. The four jacks, of course, had to share, too. Deal out the four jacks as you did the queens so that all four cards are visible in each pile. After everyone got settled into their rooms, there was a fire and all the lights went out. Square each pile of cards and turn each face down. Everyone had to evacuate. In the dark hallway, they got all mixed up. Pick up one pile at a time and stack them one on top of the other. Cut the cards and complete the cut (*see appendix) as many times as you want. (Spectators [audience members] can do this part too.) Pick up the cards and hold them face down in your left hand in dealing position. Before everyone could even get outside, the fire was out and it was announced that everyone could go back to their rooms. The lights were not back on yet, so everyone had to do this in the dark. Deal the cards out face down to the four corners of an imaginary square. You can start anywhere, but you must continue to go around the square in the same order and direction, placing one card on each pile at a time (as you did before) until all cards are dealt. Soon after they had stumbled back into their rooms, the lights came back on and they were all amazed to find… Turn the piles face up, one at a time through the next lines. The piles will not always turn over in the order I have written. This does not matter. Wait to name the cards until you have turned over the cards and the trick will work correctly. …that all the jacks were together in one room, all the queens were together in one room, all the kings were together in one room, and all the ace magicians were together in one room. Pause to let the magic of what has happened sink in to the minds of your audience. Accept your applause.
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STEM MAGIC
2014
Multiplication Magic Effect: Ask a spectator to write down their favorite single-digit number, then do some simple math. They end up with an entire row of the number they chose! Method: Ask a spectator to write down their favorite single-digit number (1-9). o (For example: 4) Ask them to multiply that number by 9. o (4 x 9 = 36) Ask them to multiply the result by 12,345,679. (Notice the missing 8.) o (12,345,679 x 36 = 444,444,444)
4 x 9 = 36 12,345,679 x 36 74,074,074 +370,370,37 . 444,444,444
Math Note: This will work with any number from 1-9. The math can be done with pencil and paper or with a calculator. If you are using a calculator, make sure that it is able to display at least nine digits. (Many calculators display only 8 digits.)
The Society of American Magicians | www.magicsam.com 21
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STEM Magic
A Mathemagical Square Effect: A randomly chosen group of cards is added together, and a predicted card is found in the deck at that point. Method: From any deck of 52 cards, choose the following cards. (Choose different suits randomly. Suit is not important in this trick, and a random mix of suits makes your choice of cards seem random too.) Begin by moving a 6 to the top of the deck. Next, remove a queen from the deck and place it face down on the table. Next, remove a jack and place it face down on top of the queen. Put a 10 on top of the jack, then a 9 on top of that. Follow those cards with an 8 and a 7. On top of the 7, place an ace, then a 2, 3, 4, and a 5. After you have placed the 5 face down on the top of your stack, look through the deck again for one more card. As you look through, count to the 15th card from the bottom of the deck (for example, the three of hearts) and remember it. Continue looking through the cards until you come to the 6 you moved to the top when you started. Remove this card and put it on top of the pile on the table. Set the rest of the deck on the table. On a piece of paper, write, “You will choose the --” and the name of the 15th card from the bottom of the deck (three of hearts). Do not let your audience see what you write. Fold the paper or seal it in an envelope for later and tell the audience that this is your prediction. Ask a spectator to pick up the pack of twelve cards and cut them to mix them up. They can cut as many times as they would like as long as they only make one cut at a time (*see appendix). Explain that he is going to lay the cards out in a three-by-three square. Ask him to lay out three cards in a row. He might lay the cards out in a horizontal row, like this:
1
2
3
Explain that the next row can go in any direction, but the middle card of the new row must cross the middle card of the row on the table. He might choose to lay the next row out vertically, like this:
6
5
4 22 www.magicsam.com | The Society of American Magicians
2014
STEM MAGIC
He will now repeat the same process two more times to complete the square. In this case, the next two rows would be diagonal, like this:
7
12
8
11
9
10
Turn all the cards around the outside of the square face-up and show that they are different. Remind the spectator that he mixed the cards and chose which card to put down next himself. Remove the face-up cards and ask the spectator to add the values of the four remaining cards from the center stack (jacks = 11 and queens = 12). (The total will always be 26.) Ask the spectator to count to and turn over the 26th card in the deck on the table (this will be the card you predicted), then ask him to read your prediction. Math Note: The cards can be laid out in any order, so long as they end up in a 3 x 3 square and each row overlaps in the middle. The horizontal, vertical, and two diagonal rows can be dealt in any order and can be dealt left-to-right or right-to-left and top-to-bottom or bottom-to-top. No matter how this is done, the center stack will contain cards that total 26.
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STEM Magic
Appendix Cutting the Cards Some of the card tricks in this book ask that you or your spectator mix the cards by cutting the deck (or packet of cards) and completing the cut one or more times. This must be done the correct way for math-based tricks to work. Begin with the deck face-down on the table. Full Deck
Remove any number of cards from the top of the deck and set them on the table. Bottom Portion
cut
Top Portion
Pick up all of the remaining cards (bottom portion) and place them on top of the cards that were just removed (top portion). complete
Full Deck
This process can be repeated as many times as you like without affecting the outcome of the trick. Each cut must be a single cut as described above. Cutting the deck this way works for math-based tricks because it does not really mix the cards. A single cut will change the card on the top and bottom of the pack, but the order of the cards will remain the same. Multiple cuts (involving more than two packets before reassembling the deck) will not work. This type of cut will actually mix the order of the cards and upset the math principles that make the trick work.
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STEM MAGIC
2014
Joining The Society of Young Magicians Membership in The Society of Young Magicians is open to any child, aged 7 through 17, with an interest in magic. Members will receive a membership card, certificate, pin, and magic trick, as well as access to current and back issues of the Magic SYMbol (our monthly e-zine) and access to our online media library. To join, follow the instructions below. Online: Go to www.magicsam.com and click the red “Become a Member” button under the pictures. At the bottom of the next page, click the button next to “SYM Membership.” Choose a membership term and whether you would like auto-renewal. Click the “Add to Cart” button. A message will appear that reads “Membership added to cart.” Click the “cart” link. On the next screen, click the “Checkout” button. Fill in the name, address and billing information (please enter the child’s name in the shipping address and contact information areas) and click the “Shipping Rates” button. Follow on-screen instructions to complete the process. By Mail: Simply fill out the form on the next page and mail the form and your payment to the address at the bottom of the application.
Joining The Society of American Magicians Membership in The Society of American Magicians is open to anyone, age 14 and up, with an interest in magic. Members will receive a membership card, certificate, pin, and magic trick, our monthly M-U-M magazine, online access to back issues, and more. To join – Online: Go to www.magicsam.com and click the red “Become a Member” button under the pictures. At the bottom of the next page, choose a membership level. Choose a membership term and whether you would like auto-renewal. Click the “Add to Cart” button. A message will appear that reads “Membership added to cart.” Click the “cart” link. On the next screen, click the “Checkout” button. Fill in the name, address and billing information and click the “Shipping Rates” button. Follow on-screen instructions to complete the process. By Mail: Go to www.magicsam.com and click the red “Become a Member” button under the pictures. Scroll down to the “Join by Mail” section and click the link to download an application. Print the application, fill it out, and mail it with your payment to the address provided. The Society of American Magicians | www.magicsam.com 25
Young Magician Applicant Information Note: you must be age seven through seventeen to join. Please read the following pledge:
I promise to do my best to improve the Art of Magic and to follow the rules of The Society of American Magicians.
I agree not to tell any of the secrets of magic to anyone who is not a magician and to discourage others from telling their secrets.
I will be honest and fair as a magician and cooperate with others who are interested in magic.
I agree to help other magicians in any way that I can. I will encourage them to perfect our art.
I will not make fun of or ridicule the efforts of any magician.
I will strive to use magic in a positive way for my personal enjoyment and for the amazement and enjoyment of my family, friends, and others.
__ I have read the pledge
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*SIGNED IN HONOR
DATE
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If you are joining an Assembly, enter Assembly number here_____________________ As a member, you will receive a membership card, membership pin, subscription to the S.Y.M.'s monthly newsletter The Magic SYMbol, and discounts to The Society of American Magicians’ annual convention. You will also be able to join your local Assembly (Chapter). For a list of chapters around the world, go to www.magicsam.com Please remember to sign this form and send it along with a check for the annual membership fee of $20 (checks made out to The Society of Young Magicians) to:
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