Check out some mind blowing Math Magic Tricks!

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20 January 2021

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Math magic tricks can engage even the most distracted group of students and stimulate their senses to create a sense of wonder in their curious brains. Using such tricks sets up a strong foundation for students to strengthen their mathematical reasoning and go beyond just the routine textbook questions and answers. 

Math is all about logic, rules, and reasoning, and to make the understanding of complex concepts easier, it is best to serve these concepts with a side of magic.

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Check out some mind-blowing Math Magic Tricks!

Math Magic Tricks to wow your children. Try this, it's cool! While the magic tricks are great, most are easy to do. Math magic tricks can liven up any math class and create a sense of wonder. Check out some mind-blowing Math Magic Tricks! is mentioned below in the Downloadable PDF. 

Math Magic Tricks to wow your children

1. The answer is always 5 

This trick always works! 

Start by thinking of a number.

Double it.

Add 10.

Halve it.

Take away your original number.

Is your answer 5?

Try this with different numbers and wow your audience with this simple math magic trick. 

2. I know how much money you got!

Without giving you any information, ask the students to count the value of a random set of coins and write the amount on a piece of paper. Then ask them to follow the next steps- 

Double the amount.
Add the first odd prime number to the new total.
Multiply the result by 1/4 of 20.
Subtract the lowest common multiple of 2 and 3.

For the final answer -  Take off the last digit and you will be able to guess how much the coins are worth!

3. Guess their age and shoe size!

Ask your child to follow the given directions but not present any of the calculations to you - 

Ask them to write down their age 
Multiply it by 1/5 of 100.
Add on today's date (e.g. 2 if it's the 2nd of the month).
Multiply by 20% of 25.
Now add on your shoe size (if it's a half size round to a whole number).
Finally, subtract 5 times today's date.

Ask them to reveal the final answer - 
The hundreds are the age and the remaining digits are the shoe size. If for instance, somebody shows you 1206, there are 12 hundred - the age, and the remaining digits 06 (or 6) denote their shoe size.

4. The correct answer is always 37!

To perform this trick, ask any of your friends to choose a three-digit number with the same digits.

For example, 222
Add the digits together. So, 2+ 2 + 2 = 6
Divide the original number with this sum. So, 222 / 6 = 37.

Works every single time! 

5. Learn how to add 2-digit numbers at the drop of a hat! 

Get a firm understanding of the basic principles of tens & unit places, and you will be able to add two-digit numbers at lightning-fast speed.

For example, take two, two-digit numbers,

Like, 57 + 79.

Then, split the 2nd number into tens & units, making it 79 = 70 + 9.
After that, move up the tens addition, which is 57 + 70 = 127.
To get the final answer, you must add the left units place digit, which is 127 + 9 = 136.
 
Isn’t this easy?

6. Predict any number!

To start with this math magic trick, choose any number like 22

Subtract one from it,  22 – 1 = 21
Multiply it with three. (21 x 3 = 63)
Add 12 to this number. (63 + 12 = 75)
Divide it with three. (75 / 3 = 25)
Now add 5 to the above number. (25 + 5 – 30)
Finally, ask your peers to subtract the original number from the above sum.
The answer will always be 8. (30 – 22 = 8)

7. Turn six digits into three

To do this trick, take any three-digit number and write it twice to make a six-digit number.
 
Like 371371 
Then divide the number by 7 which is 371371/7 = 53,053
Then, Divide it by 11 which is 53,053 / 11 = 4823
Then, Divide it by 13 which is 4823/13 = 371
The answer is the three-digit number. Therefore, 371

8. Choose any number, your end product will only be 2!

To perform this trick ask your friend to think of a number, let’s say 8

9. The 11 Rule

Add the two digits together.

Place the number from Step 2 between the two digits.

If the number from Step 2 is greater than 9, but keep the one's digit in the space and carry the ten's digit.
Examples: 72 x 11 = 792.

57 x 11 = 5 _ 7, but 5 + 7 = 12, so put 2 in the space and add the 1 to the 5 to get 627.

10. Multiplication at your fingertips!

Did you know that you can effectively multiply any number of digits using your hands? 

A simple way to do the "9" multiplication table is to place both hands in front of you with fingers and thumbs extended.

To multiply 9 by a number, fold down that number finger, counting from the left.

For example - to multiply 9 by 5, fold down the fifth finger from the left. Count fingers on either side of the "fold" to get the answer. In this case, the answer is 45.

Conclusion 

If you are looking for tips to make math interesting for children, then magic tricks help bring math and magic together to tap the curiosity of children.

Even if a child considers themselves to be math-phobic, by performing such tricks, they can remove their fear of math and enhance their understanding of the subject. Students particularly enjoy such tricks as it gives them tips on how to investigate and apply complex mathematical concepts in a fun way.

Try these tricks with your kids and pave the way for them to be a successful math magician!

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Math Magic Tricks