Many people consider mathematics to be difficult, dry and boring. But to be honest, it is not really so. The trick lies in making it lively. The author has presented the so-called 'dry contents' in a fun and enjoyable manner to make mathematics one of the easiest and attention-absorbing subjects.
This book is intended to infuse interest and motivation in readers to cultivate interest in mathematics which in the long run would become the foundation for embarking on higher scientific studies.
Sumita Bose has teaching experience of more than fifteen years in different schools of India. She has authored several mathematics and science text books, help-books and puzzle books. She has also developed mathematics content for e-learning programmes for school children. She is currently teaching in Florida, USA.
Preface
1. Mathemagic
a) Telling the age
b) Thought reader
c) Left or right
d) Magic number
e) Addition wizard
f) Calendar magic
g) Number sequence
h) Duplicate numbers
i) Fibonacci trick
j) Addition with closed eyes
k) Magic product
l) Two digit numbers
m) Brothers, sisters and friends
n) Card magic
2. Mathematical games
a) Number tic tac toe
b) Quilt design
c) Pentafun
d) Nim
e) Alquerque
f) Pong hau k’i
g) Nine men morris
h) Captain’s mistress
i) Battleship
j) Sprouts
3. Mathematical activities
a) Permutation
b) Paper folding
c) Geometric designs
d) Regular polyhedra
e) Möbius strip
f) Pythagoras theorem
g) Geoboard
h) Tessellation
i) String art
j) Birth day
k) Napier bones
l) Golden rectangle
4. Trick and quick
a) Squaring a two digit number beginning with 5
b) Squaring any two digit number
c) Squaring a number near 100
d) The 7-11-13 trick
e) Calculation race
f) Mnemonic
g) Multiplying two digit numbers by 11
h) Multiplying big numbers by 11
i) Some multiplication rules
j) Time constant
k) Easy division by 5
l) Easy division by 9
m) Perfect number
n) Checking four operations
o) Quick division by 9
p) Vedic mathematics
5. Puzzles
a) Compass direction
b) Proof of 1 = 2 using algebra
c) Proof of p = 3 using algebra
d) Alphamagic square
e) T puzzle
f) Doctor’s medicine
g) Same result
h) Coloured wrist bands
i) Cut the cake
j) Number puzzle
k) Oldest number puzzle
l) Roman numbers
m) Friar’s puzzle
n) Car speed
o) Morse code
p) Walking time
q) Number fence
r) Grandmother’s gift
s) Burning rope
t) Age
u) Tangram
6. Fascinating patterns
a) Number patterns
b) Odd numbers and squares
c) Calculator addition patterns
d) Pascal’s triangle
7. Amazing facts
a) Circles around a circle
b) Factors of 1,274,953,680
c) Amazing prime numbers
d) Facts about the number seven
e) Strange multiplication
f) Sum of cubes
g) Division friends
h) Reversed square
i) Multiplication by 9
j) Strange fraction
k) Big number
l) Mysterious 24
m) Return to the original number
n) The “illions” of mathematics
o) Numerical palindrome
p) Repeated numbers
q) History of numbers
8. Optical illusion
a) Rotating wheel
b) Zigzag wall
c) Poggendorf illusion
d) Penrose stairs
e) Ehrenstein illusion
9. Mathematics in everyday life
a) Nature
b) Architecture
c) Music and dance
d) Art
e) Sports
f) Textile
g) Decoration
h) Cooking
i) Weather prediction
j) Commercial purpose
10. Mathematical jokes
11. Secret of success in Mathematics
12. Answers
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l) Two Digit Numbers
Materials required:
Paper and pencil
Method:
1. Ask your friend to write 2 two digit numbers.
2. Ask him/her to multiply the first by 5 and add 36.
3. Next ask him/her to multiply the result by 20.
4. Finally ask him/her to add the other two digit number and subtract 720.
5. You can tell your friend’s numbers just by looking at the final answer.
Example:
Suppose your friend chooses 19 and 23 then he/she would work as follows:
1. 19 × 5 = 95
2. 95 + 36 = 131
3. 131 × 20 = 2620
4. 2620 + 23 = 2643
5. 2643 – 720 = 1923.
Trick:
The first two digits of the final result will represent the first number thought by your friend and the last two digits
will represent the second number thought by your friend.
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