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PODCAST

Mathematical Magic

by Queen Mary, University of London

Mathematics and magic may seem a strange combination, but many of the most powerful magical effects performed today have mathematics at their core, just as mathematics lies behind almost all technologies we use, products we buy and the jobs we do. This series features mathematicians and magicians Matt Parker, Peter McOwan and Jason Davison. For more information on amazing maths, science and engineering powered magic, you might like to explore www.mathematicalmagic.com , www.illusioneering.org and www.cs4fn.org/magic . This video was produced by the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Queen Mary, University of London and wideangles.tv, with support from the UK HE STEM project and additional support from cs4fn

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Episodes

  1. Mathematical Magic Trailer

    A sneak peak into the world of Magic and Maths

  2. Introduction

    Meet the magicians and find out what mathematical magic they have in store...Peter McOwan is Professor of Computer Science in the School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science at Queen Mary, University of London and a lifelong amateur magician. Matt Parker is Mathematics Outreach...

  3. Body Language

    Using the magic of algebra Professor McOwan shows us how we can predict what cards a person may be holding. This may come in useful to poker fans!

  4. The Chatty Jokers

    How are these Jokers able to predict a punters choices? Jason Davison issues a challenge in this demonstration of a card classic.

  5. Dicing with Destiny

    How can we influence the roll of a die? Matt Parker demonstrates and explains how to win using Non-Transitive Dice.

  6. Die Hard

    How can you count something you can't see? Matt Parker performs this trick to show how hidden information can influence our decisions

  7. The Faro Shuffle

    Want to manipulate a card deck to place cards in any position? Here the Mathematical Magic team demonstrate the Faro shuffle and explain its applications in the world of Computer Science.

  8. The Mindmatch Experiment

    Can we influence people's decisions thought the power of the mind? Peter McOwan uses his "ESP cards" to control a subject's thoughts using clock arithmetic.

  9. The Not 21 but 27 Card Trick

    But why 27 cards? Matt Parker shows us how to astound an audience by using base 3 numbers. A similar method can also be used to efficiently move data in computer memory.

  10. Numbers Divided

    How can you cheat a calculator? Matt Parker demonstrates and explains how to predict a random number using this simple factoring trick.

  11. Oil and Water

    Are cards really printed with different inks? Peter McOwan uses the Hummer card principle to manipulate sets of red and black cards.

  12. The One in a Million Prediction

    How can you predict (or manipulate) 9 coin tosses in a row? Matt Parker shows you how using theory by Paul Hallas.

  13. The Piano Trick

    Can you really turn cards invisible? Peter McOwan demonstrates how to use misdirection and confusion to mask a simple mathematical premise.

  14. Two calculator Tricks

    How does mental arithmetic affect technology? Jason Davison demonstrates how to manipulate calculators and read someone's mind. Matt Parker becomes a human calculator by calculating cube roots.

  15. The Voice controlled Path Mystery

    Can you really use your voice to influence peoples decisions remotely? In this Interactive trick, Jason Davison shows us how to manipulate card choices.

  16. Conclusion

    Books worth reading if you want to be a mathematical magician

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Mathematics and magic may seem a strange combination, but many of the most powerful magical effects performed today have mathematics at their core, just as mathematics lies behind almost all technologies we use, products we buy and the jobs we do. This series features mathematicians and magicians Matt Parker, Peter McOwan and Jason Davison. For more information on amazing maths, science and engineering powered magic, you might like to explore www.mathematicalmagic.com , www.illusioneering.org and www.cs4fn.org/magic . This video was produced by the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Queen Mary, University of London and wideangles.tv, with support from the UK HE STEM project and additional support from cs4fn

HOSTED BY

Queen Mary, University of London

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Mathematical Magic have?

Mathematical Magic currently has 16 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Mathematical Magic about?

Mathematics and magic may seem a strange combination, but many of the most powerful magical effects performed today have mathematics at their core, just as mathematics lies behind almost all technologies we use, products we buy and the jobs we do. This series features mathematicians and magicians...

How often does Mathematical Magic release new episodes?

Mathematical Magic has 16 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Mathematical Magic?

You can listen to Mathematical Magic on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Mathematical Magic?

Mathematical Magic is created and hosted by Queen Mary, University of London.
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