Magical Mathematics: The Mathematical Ideas That Animate Great Magic Tricks

Persi Diaconis · Ron Graham

Oct 2011 · Princeton University Press

About this ebook

The mathematics behind some of the world's most amazing card tricks

Magical Mathematics reveals the secrets of fun-to-perform card tricks—and the profound mathematical ideas behind them—that will astound even the most accomplished magician. Persi Diaconis and Ron Graham provide easy, step-by-step instructions for each trick, explaining how to set up the effect and offering tips on what to say and do while performing it. Each card trick introduces a new mathematical idea, and varying the tricks in turn takes readers to the very threshold of today's mathematical knowledge.

Diaconis and Graham tell the stories—and reveal the best tricks—of the eccentric and brilliant inventors of mathematical magic. The book exposes old gambling secrets through the mathematics of shuffling cards, explains the classic street-gambling scam of three-card Monte, traces the history of mathematical magic back to the oldest mathematical trick—and much more.

Ratings and reviews

The authors have done a great job of highlighting mathematical principles and motivated them by magic, often of the form card tricks (though others are involved). These tricks do not rely on sleight of hand but rather some basic mathematical principles which are explained. This is not meant to be exhaustive of every mathematical card trick (the authors chose some of the best examples which could be used in performances; most other "mathematical" card tricks tend to be somewhat boring in performance), but it gives a great flavor of what mathematics can bring to magic. There is also more information about juggling and performers. This is actually only half of what the authors had planned. Let us hope that they come out with a second volume in the near future.

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About the author

Persi Diaconis is professor of mathematics and statistics at Stanford University, and a former professional magician. Ron Graham (1935–2020) was professor of mathematics and computer science at the University of California, San Diego, and a former professional juggler.