Mathemagician

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.

Notable mathemagicians

• Karl Fulves
• Arthur T. Benjamin, Ph.D., Department of Mathematics, Harvey Mudd College^[4]
• Martin Gardner

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.

References

1. ^ Albers, Donald J. "Art Benjamin - Mathemagician." Math Horizons, November 1998, 14-18.
2. ^ Albers, and Donald J. "Professor of Magic Mathematics." Math Horizons, February 1995, 11-15.
3. ^ Diaconis, Persi. Quoted in: Albers, Donald J. "Professor of Magic Mathematics." Math Horizons, February 1995, 11-15.
4. ^ http://www.math.hmc.edu/~benjamin/
5. ^ Gardner, Martin. New Mathematical Diversions from "Scientific American." Chicago: University of Chicago Pr., 1984.

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