Magic in Geometry

illusionone · May 23, 2008

Has anyone seen something like this before?

these are 2 of the same tricks, but different variations and methods:

http://www.woodencigars.com/vwftp.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRAwAzFV3fk

does anyone know how to do this?
where can i buy this effect?

SVillanueva · May 23, 2008

WTF!!!??? thats pretty good.

illusionone · May 23, 2008

its amazing the variety of tricks magicians have to use in their arsenal. I found a site that sells the einsteins visual aid trick:
400$
http://www.woodencigars.com/wftp.html

Mega · May 23, 2008

The second video I think I can explain
Its simply math:

the way the outer part of the square doesn't change is because of how he put the pieces, the day (the only time) i pay attention I learn that you can change the volume(how much you can put inside a 3D figure) with affecting the surface area( how much space a 3D figure take on the outside).....thats all i remember

illusionone · May 23, 2008

thanks for the help....im looking for a place with a more reasonable price.

apathy · May 23, 2008

Something's fishy with the 3 piece in the first video...I think. I'm not going to watch it enough times to be sure.

Sharog · May 24, 2008

I believe this has the same principle as:

http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afbeelding:Wedge_paradox.png

how ever to have that gimmick constructed to the way it is now it is quite ingeniusly made i do say. i prolly would buy one and hang on my wall just for the fun factor.

OwnerM · May 24, 2008

It's not a gimmick. I don't fully understand the math, but it has to do with ratios set up in the series of Fibonacci numbers.

Here's the wiki page on it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_square_puzzle

I've had a puzzle like that for years called Geometrex http://www.jayz.co.nz/products/puzzlesandgames/5801

and I found this one! Cheap and in wooden box form too!!
http://oep.store.excerpo.com/index.php?action=show_details&product_id=3582

Here's a whole bunch of them based on the same mathematical principle.
http://home.comcast.net/~stegmann/assembly.htm

Finally, here's a site that actually tells you how to build one!
http://www.archimedes-lab.org/workshopparadoxopiped.html

They're sold as puzzles. Bright idea to make them magic!

Sharog · May 29, 2008

the Winston Freer Tile Puzzle looks really awsome, is there anywhere i can get a cheaper version of that? cuz it is like 400$$ (i checked out the other puzzles but all of them can only add 1 extra piece.