Mathamagic

Discuss general aspects of Genii.
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MaxNY
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Mathamagic

Postby MaxNY » March 14th, 2003, 7:22 pm

Three guys went to rent a hotel room. The clerk says the room will cost $30 dollars. They each put up a ten dollar bill, and head to their room. The clerk then remembers that there was a "special" on rooms that week, and realizes that he over-charged the three men. The room cost only $25 dollars. He then asked the bellhop to bring the difference up to the men, and pulls out five singles from the register. While heading up to the room, the bellhop can't figure out how the three men were going to split $5 dollars, so he pockets $2 dollars, and gives the men only $3 dollars, one dollar to each man. So, if each man only paid $9 dollars, and there was three men, 3 X $9 = $27, and the bellhop pocket $2 dollars, that makes $29 dollars... What happened to the missing $1 dollar?

Jim Maloney_dup1
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Re: Mathamagic

Postby Jim Maloney_dup1 » March 14th, 2003, 7:30 pm

It's a simple error in calculation:

The two dollars should be subtracted from the $27, instead of added. That would equal the $25 that was charged for the room. If anything's going to be added to $27, it would be the three that was returned, because that's the money they got back.

-Jim

Brad Henderson
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Re: Mathamagic

Postby Brad Henderson » March 14th, 2003, 7:41 pm

I always thought this could be turned into an interesting card trick, perhaps ala the Victor 11 card trick.

I have a buddy whose both a magician and works in the hotel industry. It seems like a natural fit.

David Acer
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Re: Mathamagic

Postby David Acer » March 14th, 2003, 7:47 pm

A friend of mine who is a contributing writer for The Onion recently submitted this hilarious headline:

"Mathemagic Fails To Amaze"

Other magic related headlines he sent through the queue:

"Teenage Magician Assisted By Sister"

and...

"Mentalist Plucks Eyebrows"
Now tweeting daily from @David_Acer

Frank Yuen
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Re: Mathamagic

Postby Frank Yuen » March 14th, 2003, 8:22 pm

Daryl uses that brain teaser as the premise for an effect. It's on his Live from London Vol 2 video and in a set of his lecture notes (Daryl Does Den Haag?).

Frank Yuen

Brad Henderson
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Re: Mathamagic

Postby Brad Henderson » March 14th, 2003, 8:33 pm

I'm unfamiliar with Daryl's use. My inspiration came from the James file and his use of cards to produce a magic square. I thought one could adapt this to a pseudo card control type of experiment. In thinking about that I considered other math "problems" one of which was the hotel paradox.

I think both are fields ripe for exploration.

Brad

Frank Yuen
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Re: Mathamagic

Postby Frank Yuen » March 14th, 2003, 8:37 pm

Daryl illustrates it with actual cash and demonstrates the bill vanishing. Later it (the missing bill) turns up in an empty wallet.

Frank Yuen

Max Maven
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Re: Mathamagic

Postby Max Maven » March 14th, 2003, 10:46 pm

Fogel used a related routine involving currency exchange rates.

Ian Kendall
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Re: Mathamagic

Postby Ian Kendall » March 15th, 2003, 1:27 am

Daryl's routine is in his FFFF lecture notes and is called a puzling bill vanish.

Ian

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MaxNY
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Re: Mathamagic

Postby MaxNY » March 15th, 2003, 6:26 am

Wow! Heck, interesting uses... I was trying to use this problem to help divert some assets in my 2002 Tax Files.

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Matthew Field
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Re: Mathamagic

Postby Matthew Field » March 15th, 2003, 8:17 am

Originally posted by MaxNY:
help divert some assets
You've got assets?

Matt Field

Jon Racherbaumer
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Re: Mathamagic

Postby Jon Racherbaumer » March 15th, 2003, 9:20 am

Peter Kane converted this puzzle into a card trick. I think he published in his column in Repro 71?

Guest

Re: Mathamagic

Postby Guest » March 19th, 2003, 9:38 am

There is a similar mathematical effect in vol. 3 of Paul Harris' Art of Astonishment -- Perfect Ten Paper Clip Paradox.

Mike Powers
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Re: Mathamagic

Postby Mike Powers » March 30th, 2003, 11:17 am

Hi Dale,

I have some home video of Jim Ryan showing the "Perfect 10" puzzle to Dai Vernon at the Midwest Magic Jubilee in the early '80s. Jim used coins and had spectators toss new coins in. He'd make a move and then count. There were always 10 coins in each row. Cool puzzle.

Mike

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John Smetana
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Re: Mathamagic

Postby John Smetana » March 30th, 2003, 1:31 pm

Michael Weber had a version of this in"Lifesavers". If I recall correctly, it was titled"To Feed Many" If you use M&M's, or something similar, you can have your spectators take a piece of candy and still have the same number in each row.
In Steinmeyer's "Impuzzibilities" there's a neat version using a triangle, instead of the square, the theme being The Bermuda Triangle.

Best thoughts,
John Smetana


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