As many of you likely know already, Mr. Lorayne has gathered the best of his math-based magic into "How to Perform Feats of Mathematical Wizardry. I read that book recently because I liked the stuff in the Number Magic chapter of The Magic Book so much. Many of the effects in that book are also published in this one, but there is also enough that isn't to make the book worth reading. It is available as an ebook now as well.

There are several nice ideas in the sections labeled "Odds and Ends" and "It's a Puzzlement" for use as warm-ups. I especially like the ones about the unique property of the number 4 and the odd digits adding to an even total. Once these get your audience used to the idea of numbers being used in interesting ways, I would suggest opening a set of number magic with a another feat from the book called "The Heaviest Digit." In my own performances, I have taken to following that with the "Lucky Number" piece from the Magic Book (Also in the section labeled "More Unique Numbers" from HTPFOMW. Then, I have the spectator write down any long number and multiply it by whatever number I told them to use in "The Lucky Number." From there, I go into "The Missing Digit." Conclude with a magic square, and I think you'd have a very strong, well flowing routine of number magic.

Hi CardStudent,

Thanks for the post. It'll take a while to really check the routine you propose (most of the effects you mention I am not familiar with by name, however I do own both books in question).
Whether or not a routine of purely mathematical/number magic is of appeal is of course something that some may question, but certainly there is a time and place for such an act (I am in fact performing at a science fair next month where I have been invited purely on the grounds of trying to enthuse people about mathematics through magic).

My personal favourite opener for such a routine is Adding a Fibonacci Series from Martin Gardner's Mathematics, Magic and Mystery (p.158 of the Dover edition). I believe that this reappeared in Lorayne's book. If you don't already have that book you might want to take a look as it is relatively inexpensive, and one of the classical references for mathematical magic. Another good resource is Corinda's 13 Steps to Mentalism. There are, of course, countless more references for books which centre on mathematical effects with playing cards.

Regards.

Owen