Teacher Demonstration 24

Mind Reader 2
Materials:
• Paper and envelopes • Pens • Dictionaries / Encyclopedias / Phone directories

Instructions
This classic mathematical trick always gives the same result of 1089, but can be very
surprising for the uninitiated. Use it to teach algebra, as part of a critical thinking unit
on the paranormal and ‘psychics’ or just for fun. Challenge students to discover how
you’re ‘reading’ their minds by repeating the trick daily for a week (use a different
book each time).
Note: Ask students who figure the trick out early, or who are already familiar with it, to keep it secret until
the end of the week or until everyone has discovered what’s going on independently.

1 Prior to performing the demonstration, look up page

108 in your dictionary, encyclopedia or local
telephone directory. Count down to the ninth word
or name. Memorise this word or name.

Tell the class you are going to read one of their

minds. You will ask a volunteer to look up a word in
the dictionary and you will correctly guess the word.
To remove the possibility of a prearranged “set up”,
you will ask a volunteer for a random number.

2 Ask the volunteer to write a random three digit

Example #1 Example #2
number on the white board. It does not matter what
numbers they choose as long as the first and last
digits are different (ie the number must not be
471 102 symmetrical such as 343 or 717). Two examples are
provided.

3. To supposedly remove all 'possibilities of a “set up”,

174 201 ask a second student to reverse the digits and
471 201 subtract the smaller number from the larger one. If
the result is a two digit number, ask them to add a
- 174 - 102 zero (0) in front (as shown on the right).
= 297 = 099

4. Perhaps the rest of the class is still sceptical? Ask a

792 990 third student to come to the white board, reverse
these three digits and then add the two numbers
+ 297 + 099
together. The result will always be 1089.
= 1089 = 1089

Teacher Demo 24 – Mind Reading | Page 1

© 2008 Ruben Meerman | ABC Science Online
5. Give a fourth volunteer a phone book or dictionary
and ask them to turn to page 108 and count down to
the ninth name or word and write it down on a piece
of paper. Ask the student to fold the paper and put it
inside the envelope.

6. Now pretend to read the student’s mind. After a few

moments, write down the word or name you
memorised earlier and put it inside your envelope.

7. Ask the student to open their envelope and show the

class. Ask a fifth student to open your envelope and
show the class your ‘guess’. How did you do it?

8. Repeat the trick the following day but use a different

book – some students may remember the result of
1089 and recognise the pattern immediately.

Teacher Demo 24 – Mind Reading | Page 2

© 2008 Ruben Meerman | ABC Science Online
Teacher notes
How does it work?
There is nothing “magic” about this trick. The procedure always gives the result of
1089. That’s because reversing the digits in any non-symmetric three digit number
and subtracting the smaller from the larger of the two ALWAYS results in a number
which is a multiple of 99. Replacing the three digit number with letters clearly
demonstrates why this is so:

start abc = 100a + 10b + c

reverse cba = 100c + 10b + a
subtract abc – cba = 100a + 10b + c – (100c + 10b + a)

expand = 100a + 10b + c – 100c – 10b – a

group = 100a – a + 10b – 10b + c– 100c

cancel = 99a - 99c

result = 99 (a - c)

Since a and c are both integers, and a is always larger than c (because of step 3), then
(a – c) must also be an integer (ie, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9).

The multiples of 99 are 198, 297, 396, 495, 594, 693, 792, 891.

Look carefully and you’ll notice that the first and last digits of all these numbers always
add to 9. You’ll also notice that the middle digits are all nine.

Adding any of the multiples of 99 to its mirror (eg 198 = 981, or 693 + 396) always
results in 1089.

Teacher Demo 24 – Mind Reading | Page 3

© 2008 Ruben Meerman | ABC Science Online