Mathemagician
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A mathemagician is a mathematician who is also a magician.
The name "mathemagician" was probably first applied to Martin Gardner, but has since been used to describe many mathematician/magicians, including Arthur T. Benjamin,[1] Persi Diaconis,[2] and Raymond Smullyan. Diaconis has suggested that the reason so many mathematicians are magicians is that "inventing a magic trick and inventing a theorem are very similar activities."[3]
A great number of self-working mentalism tricks are actually mathemagic. Max Maven often utilizes this type of magic in his performance.
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[edit] Notable mathemagicians
- Karl Fulves
- Arthur T. Benjamin, Ph.D., Department of Mathematics, Harvey Mudd College[4]
- Martin Gardner
[edit] In popular culture
- Several fictional characters have also been called mathemagicians, such as Martin Gardner's "Victor Eigen."[5]
- A character in The Phantom Tollbooth is known only as "The Mathemagician." He rules over Digitopolis, the kingdom of numbers.
- A mathemagician, voiced by Hank Azaria was prominently featured at Martin Prince's birthday party in the Simpsons episode Grade School Confidential.
[edit] References
- ^ Albers, Donald J. "Art Benjamin - Mathemagician." Math Horizons, November 1998, 14-18.
- ^ Albers, and Donald J. "Professor of
MagicMathematics." Math Horizons, February 1995, 11-15. - ^ Diaconis, Persi. Quoted in: Albers, Donald J. "Professor of
MagicMathematics." Math Horizons, February 1995, 11-15. - ^ http://www.math.hmc.edu/~benjamin/
- ^ Gardner, Martin. New Mathematical Diversions from "Scientific American." Chicago: University of Chicago Pr., 1984.
[edit] Further reading
- Fulves, Karl. Self-working Number Magic. Dover Publications. 1984.
- Gardner, Martin. Mathematics, Magic and Mystery Dover; ISBN 0-486-20335-2. 1956.
- Gardner, Martin. Magic Numbers of Dr Matrix, Prometheus Books; ISBN 0-87975-282-3. 1985
- Gardner, Martin. Martin Gardner's Table Magic, Dover; ISBN 0-486-40403-X. 1998.
- Carruth, Rick. Mental Math and Mentalism Download PDF
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