Serving Western Pennsylvania and
West Virginia
Abstract for Brent Morris'
Talk
Title: Magic
Tricks, Card Shuffling, and Dynamic Computer Memories
Abstract: The talk begins with a magic trick and a scientific analysis of card tricks. This leads to a brief study of card shuffling and the introduction of the perfect shuffle and its mathematics. Formulas are developed that describe the movement of any card in the deck after any sequence of perfect shuffles, and this in turn is used to design a dynamic computer memory. Finally, we show the accessing algorithm for the dynamic memory, the movement formula for perfect shuffles, and the card trick all use the same mathematical principle. Dr. Morris has written a book by the same title, published by the Mathematical Association of America (http://www.maa.org/pubs/books/cards.html).