A Personal Approach to the Art of Mathemagic with a Deck of Cards
Colm Mulcahy

Proceedings of Bridges 2018: Mathematics, Art, Music, Architecture, Education, Culture
Pages 7–14
Invited Papers

Abstract

Mathematics underpins numerous classic amusements with cards, from forcing to prediction effects, and many such tricks have been written about for general audiences by popularizers such as Martin Gardner. The mathematics involved ranges from simple “card counting” (basic arithmetic) to parity principles, to surprising shuffling fundamentals (Gilbreath and Faro) discovered in the second half of the last century. We’ll discuss three original and totally different principles discovered since 2000, as well as how to present them as entertainments in ways that leave audiences (even students of mathematics) baffled as to how mathematics could be involved.

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