Magic with Dice Adapted by Doc Yoder / Inventor is unknown
Turn your back while someone rolls three dice. Ask the person to do the following: 1. Add all of the numbers on the uppermost faces of the dice.
2. Pick up one of the die and add the number on the bottom to the previous total. 3. Roll the same die again and add the number that shows on the top face to the previous total.
4. Write the total on a piece of paper. Fold the paper so the total is completely hidden.
Turn back around to the audience. Quickly add the three numbers that are showing on the top of the dice. Add seven to that total for the final answer. Pick all the dice up and put them away after shaking them in your hand as though you are weighing them with a “contemplative look” on your face. Announce the total. You might do this by writing it on a paper or by simply saying it.
Materials: Three dice and paper and pencil
The secret: The opposite sides of a die always total seven. Two dice are thrown and not touched again. Only the top numbers on these dice are added to the total. A third die was also thrown. The top number on this die was added to the total along with the number on the bottom. These two numbers add up to seven. This third die was thrown again and you will see the top number from this roll when you turn around.
If you turn around and look at the tops of three dice and add the numbers that are showing, you will have a number that is seven less than the total that is written on the paper, so all you have to do is add the three tops that you can see and then add seven.
Performance notes:
It is helpful to be able to quickly add up the numbers on the top faces before you pick up the dice.
Questions:
What if you did this trick with only two dice? With four dice? How many dice would be too many? Could you do the trick with only one dice?