Looks at how numbers actually work, and teaches addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division in a new way that makes everyday math simple to understand

Stimulating treasury of entertaining tricks, stunts, and magical effects based on such mathematical principles and ideas as magic squares, the Fibonacci Series, Moebius strips, cycloids, topology, and more. Only simple props required: from playing cards and matches to coins. No magic or mathematical skills needed.

"Magical Mathematics reveals the secrets of amazing, 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. For example, the Gilbreath principle--a fantastic effect where the cards remain in control despite being shuffled--is found to share an intimate connection with the Mandelbrot set. Other card tricks link to the mathematical secrets of combinatorics, graph theory, number theory, topology, the Riemann hypothesis, and even Fermat's last theorem. Diaconis and Graham are mathematicians as well as skilled performers with decades of professional experience between them. In this book they share a wealth of conjuring lore, including some closely guarded secrets of legendary magicians. Magical Mathematics covers the mathematics of juggling and shows how the I Ching connects to the history of probability and magic tricks both old and new. It tells the stories--and reveals the best tricks--of the eccentric and brilliant inventors of mathematical magic. Magical Mathematics 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 thirteenth century and the oldest mathematical trick--and much more"-

Famed puzzle expert explains math behind a multitude of mystifying tricks: card tricks, stage "mind reading," coin and match tricks, counting out games, geometric dissections, etc. More than 400 tricks. 135 illustrations.

The world's greatest mental mathematical magician takes us on a spellbinding journey through the wonders of numbers (and more) "Arthur Benjamin . . . joyfully shows you how to make nature's numbers dance." -- Bill Nye (the science guy) The Magic of Math is the math book you wish you had in school. Using a delightful assortment of examples-from ice-cream scoops and poker hands to measuring mountains and making magic squares-this book revels in key mathematical fields including arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and calculus, plus Fibonacci numbers, infinity, and, of course, mathematical magic tricks. Known throughout the world as the "mathemagician," Arthur Benjamin mixes mathematics and magic to make the subject fun, attractive, and easy to understand for math fan and math-phobic alike. "A positively joyful exploration of mathematics." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review "Each [trick] is more dazzling than the last." -- Physics World

These simple math secrets and tricks will forever change how you look at the world of numbers. Secrets of Mental Math will have you thinking like a math genius in no time. Get ready to amaze your friends—and yourself—with incredible calculations you never thought you could master, as renowned “mathemagician” Arthur Benjamin shares his techniques for lightning-quick calculations and amazing number tricks. This book will teach you to do math in your head faster than you ever thought possible, dramatically improve your memory for numbers, and—maybe for the first time—make mathematics fun. Yes, even you can learn to do seemingly complex equations in your head; all you need to learn are a few tricks. You’ll be able to quickly multiply and divide triple digits, compute with fractions, and determine squares, cubes, and roots without blinking an eye. No matter what your age or current math ability, Secrets of Mental Math will allow you to perform fantastic feats of the mind effortlessly. This is the math they never taught you in school.

Learning math can be a difficult task for any child, and for many adults. But learning to work with numbers need not be a dreaded experience; in fact, it can even be fun! Scott Flansburg, also known as "the Human Calculator," can help kids learn how to add, subtract, multiply and divide without the anxiety and frustration which often accompanies learning these skills. Using techniques that make numbers easy to work with and by demonstrating how math is essential to everyday life (contrary to the lament of a great percentage of students), Math Magic for Your Kids can help maximize your child's potential to understand math and enjoy it in the process. Flansburg has helped millions of "math phobic" adults with his popular lectures and best-selling book, Math Magic. Now he is reaching out to help America's "math phobic" kids. Math Magic for Your Kids makes it easy, even for those adults who suffer from math anxiety, to help the next generation get a leg up on essential math skills.The book is specifically designed to be combined with various mathematics curricula approved by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Aimed at children aged 5 through 8, it can also benefit younger children who demonstrate a readiness for advanced number concepts and for older children who need reinforcement of basic math skills. For kids who struggle with simple math skills, Flansburg provides activities to "build a child's math sense" and help reinforce math concepts. Math Magic for Your Kids also contains information and anecdotes that relate math concepts to everyday situations, explains principles that facilitate learning in general, and provides shortcut methods as well as challenging puzzles and riddles to keep kids interested and involved. Games and exercises are designed to be executed independently or with parents' help.