How to Amaze Your Students With Magic Trick #1

Here is a great rainy day (or substitute teaching) trick to amaze the students. There are lots of opportunities when you may be left with a group of students to entertain—and boy does this do the trick. This trick has to be done in 3rd grade or above, as it involves some multiplication.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• A deck of cards
• Math skills

1. Get a regular deck of cards.
2. Pick a number card from the deck and take a look at it and place it face down on the table. This is very important. It must be a number card (2 to 9). Say: "This is my card, now you choose one." See Step 2 before you let them pick a card.
3. Take the number that you picked and subtract it from 10 and memorize that number. If you pick an 8 (10-8=2). Two is now your MAGIC NUMBER. If you pick a 7 (10-7=3). Three is now your MAGIC NUMBER. If you pick a 3 (10-3=7). Seven is now your MAGIC NUMBER. Remember that number because you need it for the last step.
4. Tell the volunteer: "Please pick a number card (2 to 9) from the deck and DO NOT show it to me." You do not need to see this card.
5. Ask the volunteer to multiply that number (their card) by 2.
   
   
   
   Ask the volunteer to add 2 to that number.
   
   
   
   Ask the volunteer to multiply that number by 5.
   
   Remember that number you memorized in step 2? Ask them to substract that number from their number.
   
   Reveal the
6. Now tell them to subtract the MAGIC NUMBER (10 minus the card you saw) from their number. Ask them: "Got it?"
7. Now lift up the 2 card from the table to reveal THEIR number. This works every time!
8. Review:
   
   Pull a number card from the deck.
   
   Subtract that number from 10 and remember that number.
   
   Have the volunteer pick a card, look at it and place it face down on the table next to yours.
   
   Have them multiply their number by 2.
   
   Have them add 2 to that number.
   
   Have them multiply that number by 5.
   
   Have them subtract your MAGIC NUMBER from their number.
   
   Lift the two cards to reveal their number.
   
   It's magic!