Magical Mathematics: The Mathematical Ideas That Animate Great Magic Tricks by Persi Diaconis, Ronald Graham

Magical Mathematics: The Mathematical Ideas That Animate Great Magic Tricks by Persi Diaconis is a book intended to explore the mathematics behind magic tricks and their creators, commonly known as “magicians”. The book is a light-hearted yet informative look at the mathematical concepts that make magic possible.

The book examines classic card tricks, coin tricks, puzzles and other illusions and how these are made up of mathematical ideas, such as probability, combinatorics, and geometry. The book explains these concepts in an accessible way and is both enjoyable for adults who want to learn about the mathematics behind the tricks and children just interested in the tricks.

The author, Persi Diaconis, is a professor of mathematics at Stanford University and a legendary sleight-of-hand magician who has performed magic for over four decades. His expertise in both mathematics and the craft of magic makes him uniquely qualified to tell the story of mathematical magic.

Throughout the book, Diaconis explains the mathematical concepts that make magic tricks possible. He begins by describing a variety of classic card tricks, such as “Matching the Aces”. He explains that in this trick, a magician has four cards and must identify which card is an ace. Diaconis explains that the mathematics behind this trick lies in analyzing the probabilities of the chosen card being an ace.

He then explains coin tricks. In the “Coin vanish”, Diaconis explains that the mathematics behind this trick lies in the use of probability and combinatorics. He discusses how a magician can use the geometric shape of a coin and the manipulations of a magician to make it appear that coins disappear.

Diaconis also dedicates entire sections to classic puzzles and brainteasers. For example, he explains the mathematics of the game “Peg Solitaire” and uses this to provide an explanation of the trick “Medusa’s Mirror”.

Throughout the book, Diaconis emphasizes the importance of understanding the mathematical concepts behind the tricks in order to perform them correctly. He also provides tips on how to manage the interface between a magician and their audience, such as how to develop timing and misdirection.

Magical Mathematics takes readers on a journey through the world of magical mathematics. The book is filled with fascinating facts about the mathematics behind the classic tricks. Diaconis explains how the mathematical concepts he describes can be used to create amazing magic. The book provides both a comprehensive look at the mathematics of magical tricks, as well as a vivid reminder of how math can be used to entertain.