presentation_on_us.docx
How is maths involved in tricks?
Made by: Lotte, Lenne, Anne and Yu-Lin
Table of content
•Interview Rob
•Interview Mrs. Heezius
•Interview Emma
•Easy example
Interview Rob Mollien
We have interviewed Rob who is an illusionist. We asked him a few questions about math in tricks and what he thinks about the use in tricks.
How do you use Mathematics in your tricks?
Rob Mollien: I use maths in for example several algorithms. Such as the Rubik’s cube and the chessboard truc.
Are your tricks based on mathematics?
Rob Mollien: No, mathematics is just to help me performing trucs better.
Is mathematics involved in all your tricks?
Rob Mollien: No, in most of my trucs, I don’t use mathematics but other techinques which don ‘t involve maths
Is the level of mathematics in your tricks difficult or can everybody learn it?
Rob Mollien: I think that everybody can learn it. However, some of my tricks are very hard to learn, because they are just very difficult to perform.
Were you interested in mathematics when you were young, is this why you started doing tricks that involve mathematics?
Rob Mollien: I skipped mathematics during my school times. Later on, I discovered the use of maths in tricks.
Do you think that people who are not interested in mathematical tricks do like to learn them?
Everything falls and stands with an interesting presentation. Maths is the trick, but not purpose itself.
If you make a calculation mistake during a trick, do you ruin the whole trick then?
Yes, that is possible. It happened once in a while. Luckily I can most of the time take another shot and make the trick work again.
Do you think the tricks that involve mathematics are more fun than tricks without maths? Or are they all the same?
I like the tricks with palmistry the most (a trick that the audience can see through) and combine it with mathematical principes.
Do you think that maths is the most important aspect in a (good) trick?
No, presentation is the most important part.
Interview Mrs. Heezius
1. In what way do you think that maths is used in tricks?
Tricks that have numbers, calculations, repetition, statistics in it. That is the maths that they use. Difficult question to explain.
2. Why do you think that maths is used in tricks?
To make it difficult to understand for a lot of people. It looks like magic, but it is just maths. And it takes time to understand the maths in a trick, and the audience doesn't have that time in a show
3. Can you think up a trick in which mathematics is used? Can you explain in which way? (don’t look it up on the Internet please!)
Equations are used in tricks, riddles, with numbers. Or the numbers of Fibonacci. Or to guess somebody's age/birthday, etc. In card tricks they use maths. I don't know a trick without looking on internet
4. Why could maths be important in tricks? (explain your answer please)
It gives you information about how the trick works. So for the magician it helps him to create a trick and confuse the audience
5. Do you think that the use of maths is essential for a trick or not?
Yes, for some tricks it's essential, otherwise the trick doesn't work. And for other tricks they use physics or chemistry.
6. When you’re looking at a trick, can you see that math is involved? Why or why not?
With number and card tricks I know that there is maths or physics involved. But it doesn't mean that I always now which part of the maths they have used. Because sometimes they use very difficult maths.
7. Do you think that tricks in which maths is involved, are more difficult than tricks in which maths is not used?
No, I don't think so. Even tricks where people disappear are difficult.
8. We have interviewed Rob (from Rob & Emiel) what do you think that his point of view was about the use of maths in tricks?
I don't know? I don't know what kind of show they give.
9. We have to do a project about math in tricks. What is your first thought that comes up in your mind when you see this title? Explain please.
I know that math is part of some tricks, but I do believe that a lot of people don't know this.
Interview Emma
1. In what way do you think that maths is used in tricks?
I think math is mostly used as a way to fool the brain, for example in tricks that deal with perspective, especially with proportions and ratios of objects with respect to each other.
2. Why do you think that maths is used in tricks?
To deceive the mind.
3. Can you think up a trick in which mathematics is used? Can you explain in which way? (don’t look it up on the Internet please!)
I remember a trick with a man that said that he could down 4 beers in under 12 seconds. You see the man explain that he will drink the 4 beers that are standing on the table right in front of him. Once the timer starts he takes a few steps forward and suddenly the glasses of beer are not large but exceptionally small. They are the size of a shot, which indeed makes it possible to down in under 12 seconds.
4. Why could maths be important in tricks? (explain your answer please)
Math could be important in tricks since a reference spectrum and a specific point of view are used in a lot of tricks. It is key to set up your objects in such way that at first sight, nothing unusual is seen.
There are also a lot of card tricks which include either counting cards or doing simple sums which always grant the same result, no matter what input you give.
5. Do you think that the use of maths is essential for a trick or not?
In some tricks it is definitely essential, in others math is not necessarily used. Walking on water for example, or moving through an object, I think are more of an illusion than a trick in maths.
6. When you’re looking at a trick, can you see that math is involved? Why or why not?
If it uses counting or sums or anything in that matter then yes. For some tricks that are not well-known amongst people I would say no since you do not know what is behind the trick.
7. Do you think that tricks in which maths is involved, are more difficult than tricks in which maths is not used?
Using math in a trick makes it more difficult to understand for some people but on the other hand it makes it easier to learn the trick. So to understand I would say yes but to perform, no.
8. We have interviewed Rob (from Rob & Emiel) what do you think that his point of view was about the use of maths in tricks?
I have asked what Rob and Emiel do, and since they do a lot of street magic involving cards I assume that they also feel math is essential in their illusions.
9. We have to do a project about math in tricks. What is your first thought that comes up in your mind when you see this title? Explain please.
Victor Mids is the first thing that comes to mind since I have seen the show Mindf*ck in which he does magic tricks on celebrities and in the street and he uses cards and calculations many times in his shows and tricks.
Easy example:
•A trick where mathematics is involved.
•This is a simple trick. It’s the “a 3 at the end” trick. So take a number in your mind.
•Multiply the number by 2.
•Multiply the new number by 5.
•Divide the current number by the original number.
•Deduct 7 from the current number.
•"Guess" the answer! If you have done the previous steps correctly, then the answer is always 3.
•You choose 3, for example, it becomes: 3 x 2 = 6. 6 x 5 = 30. 30/3 = 10. 10 - 7 = 3. The relation between mathematics and tricks.
•The result is that in this “3 at the end” trick, it’s all about calculations. You can change the multiply and dividing, this has to do with mathematics.
Conclusion:
Math is not used in all tricks, but it could be an important part of a trick, most of the time it is to help performing the trick. The math is mostly used in algorithms which are just steps you have to follow to make the trick work.
By kowing the answers from Mrs. Heezius and Emma, you can conclude that non-illusionists think that mathematics is involved in tricks to make it difficult to understand.
Non-illusionists do know that maths is used in tricks, but they don’t know in what way.