Text Message Magic

The video begins with the host, Michael, announcing the title of the show, 'Michael’s Math Magic,' and expressing excitement about a special tool he will be showcasing. The tool in question is a deck of custom-designed bicycle playing cards by Vsauce, which come with a unique twist. The deck is part of the Curiosity Box 12, and Michael demonstrates shuffling the cards, emphasizing that the order does not matter for the magic to occur. The deck features a nautical theme on the back, with designs of ships, ship wheels, whales, and pirate imagery. The host then sets up a unique magic trick where a person, Jack, who is not present in the room, will attempt to guess a card chosen from the deck. To accomplish this, Michael will use his phone to communicate with Jack, who is locked away in Testing Room A, through text messages.

Michael explains the magic trick where Jack, in isolation, is able to guess the card chosen from the deck. The trick is possible because the deck is marked, allowing the back design of each card to reveal its identity. The host demonstrates how the ship wheel design on the back of the cards contains a secret code that can be read to determine the card's value and suit. The code involves the number of handles on the wheel, which can be read like a clock to identify the card's value, and a thicker line inside the wheel that indicates the suit according to the CHaSeD order (Clubs, Hearts, Spades, Diamonds). Michael also reveals the communication method used to inform Jack of the chosen card through text messages, using punctuation to signal the suit and the placement of Jack's name in the text to indicate the card's value.

The host delves into the specifics of the 'bathroom magic trick,' where Jack, supposedly in a bathroom, is able to guess the card's suit and value. The method of communication involves a coded text message. The greeting used in the text message corresponds to the range of card values: 'Hi' for 2-4, 'Hey' for 5-7, 'Hello' for 8-10, and 'Ready' for face cards (Jack, Queen, King). The position of Jack's name in the text indicates which card within the range has been chosen: at the beginning for the smallest, in the middle for the middle value, and at the end for the highest. The host demonstrates the trick with examples and emphasizes the importance of subtlety to maintain the illusion for the audience. The video also shows a successful guess by Jack, confirming the trick's effectiveness.

The final part of the video introduces a mathematical magic trick called the 'Australian Shuffle' or 'Down Under Deal.' This trick involves dealing cards in an alternating 'down and under' manner, which eventually leaves one card in the dealer's hand. The position of this last card can be predicted using a specific formula involving the number of cards in the pack and the closest power of two less than that number. Michael demonstrates the shuffle and reveals the formula for determining the position of the last card. He also suggests that viewers explore the possibility of a similar trick using a ternary (base-3) system instead of binary, leaving it as an exercise for the audience. The video concludes with a thank you note to the viewers and additional resources for further learning about the math behind the tricks.