Why is Mathematics like Magic?

January 30, 2010
An interactive session led by Dr. Arthur Benjamin 

This KTU event was unfortunately cancelled due to inclement weather.

  What do mathematics and magic have in common? Both can be presented as something mysterious and puzzling, but the secret behind the mystery is often simple and elegant. Dr. Benjamin will demonstrate and explain how to do math in your head faster than a calculator, memorize 100 digits of pi, figure out the day of the week of any date in history, and other amazing feats of mind.

Dr. Arthur Benjamin is a Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College and a professional magician. He has written more than 70 mathematics research papers in game theory, number theory, and combinatorics, with a special fondness for Fibonacci numbers. He is the author of four books and two DVD courses, the past editor of Math Horizons magazine, and winner of the American Backgammon Tour. He has demonstrated his mixture of mathematics and magic throughout the world. Reader's Digest calls him "America's Best Math Whiz."

January 2010 - Hands-On Exhibits
After each KTU interactive session the students are escorted by their parents to have lunch and then to the hands-on portion of the event. There the students enjoy the experience of interacting with various exhibits from the Virginia Tech community.

This KTU event was unfortunately cancelled due to inclement weather.