Mathemagic Teacher Guide

Dear Teachers,
Welcome to MatheMagic!™
MatheMagic!™ is a real theatrical magic show with music, costumes, comedy, and illusions. In this fun format,
kids (unknowingly) practice classroom skills, i.e., math facts and problem-solving.
In the course of the show, we discover that the first “magicians” were really mathematicians! (By using math
they were able to “do the impossible”.) We then goon to learn about mathematical contributions from the
Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Indians, Chinese and other cultures. This approach enables us to engage and
challenge students of different ages and abilities with facts and ideas they can all understand. There is audience
participation throughout in which thinking skills are encouraged. By adjusting the content of the program, we
are able toaccommodate several grade levels at a time from K-8.
In preparing the students, you need only tell them that they are going to see a magic show about math. As with
all programs and cultural arts events, it's helpful to talk to class about good audience behavior.
The enclosed math tricks have different levels of difficulty for grades three and up. Even some second graders
can do the Binary TrickCards on pages 9 and 9A. We recommend that you save these for after the show when
the kids are “psyched” about the possibilities of math. (We'll be giving out an additional handout during the
performance.)
Kindergarteners, first graders and second graders are encouraged to write about or draw pictures of the show.
In short, we hope to provide you with an exciting program that will stimulate,fascinate, and motivate your
students not only with regard to math, but also to science, history, vocabulary and ancient civilizations. (Also,
don't be surprised if there is a run on the magic books in the school library!)
Wishing you all the best for a good year,
Bradley Fields
Owner/Artistic Director
Bradley Fields Magic Productions
Website: www.mathemagic.com email:bradley@bradleyfields.com

MatheMagic!™
(A Teacher's Guide to post-show activities)

Adding 100 Numbers
Two hundred years ago in Germany, the teacher of an unruly class set his students a task designed to keep them
quiet for the rest of the day: Add all the numbers from zero to one hundred. Instantly, one six-year-old came up
with the solution. He was Karl Friedrich Gauss who went on to become one of theworld's great
mathematicians.
Magical Effect:
Duplicate Gauss's trick and convince your audience you are a mathematical genius.
Secret:
Arrange the numbers in fifty pairs, each adding up to 101:

to:
Since you have 50 pairs of numbers which
equal 101, simply multiply:

Example
1+100=101
2+ 99=101
3+ 98=101
4+ 97=101
etc.
50+51=101

50 X 101=5,050

To multiply by 50 with mathemagicalspeed, first multiply by 100 (add two zeros), then divide by 2.
Hint: To make the trick more mystifying (after all, you could have easily memorized 5,050), invite the
audience to give you any starting number and add the 100 numbers from there.
Example: To add the hundred numbers starting 25 and ending with 124
a)
Add 25+124=149
b)
Multiply 149 X 100 = 14,900
c) Divide 14,900 / 2=7,450Mathemagic! --2

Lightning Multiplication
Magical effect: Prove you can multiply double-digit numbers instantaneously!
How to perform:
Example
Ask your audience to name any two-digit number ending in 5

35

Announce that you will square it in your head.
Without hesitating, give the answer:

1225

Secret:
Take the first digit of the number the audience gave you:
Add 1

3+1Multiply these two numbers

3X4

Tag on 25 to the end

3
X4
__________
12
1225

Hint: To make your performance more impressive, invite the audience to use a calculator and race you in
squaring numbers. Always give the whole number when you announce the answer (one thousand, two hundred,
twenty-five, rather than twelve

Mathemagic –3

Birthday Mind-Reading
Magical effect: Guess...