This brilliant trick will have your students scratching their heads in wonder. All you need are three ordinary dice and a dash of secret knowledge!
Find three regular six-sided dice. Any colour will do, but matching ones add flair!
Dim the lights and put on your best mysterious voice. Magic is all about atmosphere!
Choose someone from your class to assist. Let everyone see the rolls. (You might even do it on the Interactive Whiteboard)
Ask your volunteer to roll all three dice. Keep the excitement building!
Tell them to look at the numbers and add them, but not to reveal them yet.
Pause for effect. Let the anticipation grow in the room. Magic takes time!
Ask your volunteer to pick any die. The choice is entirely theirs!
Have them roll this chosen die once more. Watch their face carefully!
Now for the tricky bit - ask them to add the bottom number to their current mental tally.
Ask them to roll the same die one final time. Build the tension!
Again, ask them add the bottom number to their tally. But remember, mum's the word!
Your volunteer is doing all the work, while you look mysteriously confident.
Now you look at the dice.
Ask them to think of their total number.
Secretly add 7 to the sum of the top numbers. That's your magic number!
Announce their total number with confidence. Watch their jaws drop in amazement!
Opposite sides of a die always add up to 7. This is the key to our trick!
By adding bottom numbers, we're secretly completing pairs that sum to 7.
Adding 7 at the end accounts for these hidden additions. Maths magic!
Three Dice Prediction Trick