If 6 Were 9 by Joshua Wilde

Premise

A random three-digit number is generated by a participant, and they focus on a single digit. While attempting to reveal the thought-of digit, you suddenly reveal the entire three-digit number!


Detailed Effect

  1. You ask someone to open the calculator on their cell phone, and to type in a three-digit number, making sure the first digit is the biggest (to avoid negative numbers in a moment).
  2. Ask that they now subtract the reverse of their number, and hit equals. They now have a new three-digit number. For example...let's say 734 is their first number. They subtract 437, getting 297.
  3. You ask them to focus on a single digit, inquiring if they are focusing on the first, second, or third digit.
  4. You now write down a digit, and ask what the number they were thinking of was...you then say hold on...and you write out a three-digit number. "I think I just got the whole number!"
  5. You turn your paper around, and show your number...it matches their randomly created number perfectly!

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