4 March 2011
The Third Year had a magical time today when Dr Adam Boddison visited us from the University of Warwick to show his tricks, many of which using Maths which he gave us the chance to explore. He showed how he was faster at adding a sequence of numbers than anyone with their calculator - but there was a trick, and Dr Boddison used some simple algebra to show how we too could do it.
A seemingly random selection of cards gave the six numbers ready for the lottery draw. Waiting to see if we had won, hoping for three matching numbers, we found that Dr Boddison had all six numbers in the draw - certainly a friend to have. A successful trick reduces the seemingly random where the results could be anything, to an event with total certainty of which we could be sure of the results.
The reading of clues in the "Tell the Truth" trick was remarkable and ended the lecture leaving the audience truly impressed and baffled at Dr Boddison's skills.
Afterwards all had a chance to investigate how the tricks worked. Some numbered panels made it look like numbers could be chosen at random, but we could predict precisely the total of the numbers; a magic square gave a pattern which allowed us to predict with absolute certainty how to sum four numbers - and now we know why. Using pencil, paper and some nifty algebra we could explain all.
