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Mathemagicians!

August 30, 2021

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Algebra 1 class has been spending the first week of school reviewing how to solve linear equations. On Friday, we spent some time creating our own math magic tricks. You may have seen these on the internet before. It will ask you a series of questions and then at the end, it will magically know your answer. Surprisingly enough these questions work using basic algebra. After I showed them a few different types and we worked them out together, they were tasked with finding or creating their own. Here are a few of the examples created by the students:

Alayna M.

Step 1: Pick an even number between 1 and 10.

Step 2: Add 2 to that number.

Step 3: Multiply that answer by 2.

Step 4: Subtract that answer by 2.

Step 5: Divide that answer by 2.

Step 6: Subtract your original number.

Your final answer should be 1.

Emily F.

Step 1: Pick any number.

Step 2: Add the next higher number to it.

Step 3: Add 9 to that answer.

Step 4: Divide that answer by 2.

Step 5: Subtract your original number.

Your answer will be 5.

Jordynn M.

Step 1: Pick a number from 1 to 6.

Step 2: Multiply that number by 9.

Step 3: Multiply that answer by 111.

Step 4: Multiply that answer by 1001.

Step 5: Divide by 7.

Your answer will contain 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8