A Maths Card Trick: The Power of Three

For Mismag822, a maths trick by me.

I have a horrible feeling I heard the phrase "the power of three" on an advert for 'Charmed'. How embarrassing.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• maths
• math
• mathematics
• problem
• puzzle
• mathemagics
• mathmagics
• mathemagician
• mathmagician
• magic
• card
• trick
• mismag822

[shelly1332]

worng !

i pick 2

[singingbanana]

@shelly1332 Congratulations, but I think you misunderstood the idea of a tutorial.

[linuxscurvy]

ok look what happened to me, when I revised the trick. I randomly selected the 3 top cards which were unfortunately 7, 8 and 9. so look what happens :

7 = 2 Ace

8 = 2 4

9 = 2 7

Ace = 3

2=6

2 = 6

2 = 6

4 = Ace 2

7 = 2 Ace <- and here's the problem - I don't have the 2 for 21 O.o so what now ? please, answer :/

[singingbanana]

Sorry. The trick is a bit clunky, but it is a trick I made up, nothing pro. A deck just seems to be a couple of 2s short.

I think you can still do this trick with one deck, in this case I would just cannibalise some of the 2s from the row you are about to discard. Problem with that is that you have to talk your volunteer through it.

Maybe we should just change the trick to two decks to make it absolutely smooth.

[werty1091]

wow! really cool trick. but not really suitable to be used on friends 'specially in a bar as the chances of them screwing the preparation part is kinda high. Nontheless, this trick is awesome

[singingbanana]

I completely agree.

[rainieshane]

lol 42 of hearts reference.

[BladeHunterXD]

@singingbanana Hi, really cool video :). I did it to but i got a lot of cards afterwards >.< so i did it like this: pick 1 card, x3 and add 3 cards that add up to that value, repeat same for the other 3 cards :). I did it once and it worked :D. I feel smart ^-^

[ElinaHuntOnPaks]

@linuxscurvy and @singingbanana what i do is, I just use two aces instead of a 2

etc.

If I´'m short of a 6, i can use two 3s or one 4 and a 2.. etc. .:P

Get it :) ?

[IbeLangley]

"Hello again everybody!" XD

[0versizeD]

i had 6 >.>

[forrest0no]

@singingbanana he also misunderstood spelling :/

[jefferywong82]

Hi, why can't you mult by 9 once. instead of 3x twice?

[redrosegirl09]

wrong i picked 7

[Qermaq]

@elizze6 All the cards at the end total 9 or 18 or 27 or so no. If you total up all the cards and it is 3 less than one of those numbers, then the overturned card must be a 3. If they totaled 5 less, it'd be a 5.

[McQDan2013]

@linuxscurvy You could just use the other 2 aces. it would create the same effect