Math Tricks

Pedagonet offers math tricks to explore. 

 

For example, one of the tricks is known as the Phone Number Math Trick.  In this trick a person writes down their phone number, uses a calculator to perform the following steps, and eventually get an answer that is their phone number in the end.

Here are the steps:

Find a calculator

Insert in the first three digits of your phone number (not the area code)

Example  : (905) 567 - 1111

Multiply these three numbers  by 80

567 x 80 = 45360

Add 1

45360 + 1 = 45361

Multiply by 250

45361 x 250 = 11340250

Add to this the last 4 digits of your phone number

11340250 + 1111 = 11341361

Add again the last 4 digits of your phone number.

11341361 + 1111 = 1134272

Subtract 250

1134272 - 250 = 11342222

Divide number by 2

11342222 / 2 =  Magic phone number

Answer:  567-1111
 

Here is another trick called Book Math Trick.  This one has been captured with a You Tube Video.

Another trick is called Roll the Dice.  In this trick you have a friend roll two dice and do not have them reveal what numbers they rolled.  Then though this series of steps, you will be able to tell your friend what their two original numbers were on the dice.

I think it would be fun to have students choose a trick and perform it for their classmates.  It would also be fun to video tape the tricks and share them on Teacher Tube.  Pedagonet has a lot of tricks and fun!