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An amazing mathematical card trick. (English) Zbl 1231.00012

A “mathematical” card trick can be defined as one that involves only application of a mathematical principle, without sleight of hand or special equipment. Such tricks are especially appealing to those who would sometimes like to do a bit of conjuring, but have not time for the lengthy practice needed for serious conjuring. This article presents not just one such trick, but two, along with an explanation the principle involved which should permit the reader to devise new effects.
Everybody knows magicians customarily do not explain how their tricks are done. More accurately, they are only meant to explain them to other potential performers. To preserve propriety, then, the reviewer urges all readers to actually learn one of the tricks described and surprise somebody with it.

MSC:

00A08 Recreational mathematics
00A09 Popularization of mathematics
97K20 Combinatorics (educational aspects)
05A99 Enumerative combinatorics

Keywords:

card trick; parity
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References:

[1] Bannon, John, Dear Mr. Fantasy (2004), available at http://JohnBannonMagic.com
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