The Magic Gopher....

[MidnightZodiac]

Here's a litte pastime/game, based on very simple mathematical principles. Still fun though.

http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/games/magic-gopher-central.swf

[Jane]

That's spooky!   

[Loopy]

  How does it work?

[MidnightZodiac]

  How does it work?

Well, whenever you take the sum of a two digit number away from that number (i.e 27, 2+7=9, 27-9=18) the remainder is always divisible by 9. The computer puts the same symbol, which changes each time, against all multiples of 9 (9,18,27,36,45,54,63,72,81,90) so no matter what numerical answer you ended up with, the gopher always guesses correctly.

[Jane]

  I didn't understand a word of that, but very clever! 

[Gillian G]

That's very clever MZ   

[pete.r.]

Yes, very clever MZ     

[Loopy]

Well, whenever you take the sum of a two digit number away from that number (i.e 27, 2+7=9, 27-9=18) the remainder is always divisible by 9. The computer puts the same symbol, which changes each time, against all multiples of 9 (9,18,27,36,45,54,63,72,81,90) so no matter what numerical answer you ended up with, the gopher always guesses correctly.

I don't have a very mathematical brain I'm afraid but I think I understand!      Very good this Gopher.   

[pete.r.]

There is another spooky numbers game at

www.randomhouse.com/crown/features/think-of-a-number

[Jane]

Thanks Pete.r  They do my head in 

[MidnightZodiac]

Thanks Pete.r  They do my head in 

Relax Suzy... computers can't really read minds (yet). It's all done by organising the numbers into 'sets'. If you pick number 1 (for example) and it's in set 'A', then it appears in set 'F' (once again for example) the computer then knows that the only number to appear in both those sets is 1, so the answer in the envelope will be 1. The bloodstains, asking your birthdate etc, are just dressings. Effective though.

[Jane]

Relax Suzy... computers can't really read minds (yet).

  

[Loopy]

I don't care what you say...... it's definitely magic!