Response: How Predictable Are You (by the IMA)

James Grime explains how you can predict which symbol will be chosen by your volunteer in this mathematical magic trick.



For more maths videos from James visit his channel 'singingbanana'

[MrID]

I'm not predictable. I moved left at the start and ended up on his forehead. By the end, I was on his nose.

[vaquishers]

What’s funny is that every time he took out a square, it was the exact square I was trying to get to

[locrianphantom]

This doesn’t measure how predictable one is, but is simply a trick of arithmetic.

[rubensanchezramirez]

It’s not about being predictable, it’s about maths. The conditions he gives make it impossible for us to end on the squares he removes.

[architech]

It's just a process of elimination. He removed squares that wasn't possible for you to be on anyways, and thus he was limiting your options and walking you to his own destination. Basically he was defining your path while making you believe you had a choice.

[OneBiasedOpinion]

Cool trick. Realized I was playing a no-win game after the third “move” and decided to go for a trip diagonally. Fun times.

[CameronPitts]

The real magic trick is how he got the post it notes to float in front of him. True magic.

[azikkii]

I’m guessing a lot of people don’t think to move back and forth between 2 pieces. All I wanted to be on was the face below start and it was taken off pretty quickly.

[singingbanana]

That's very true. An even number of moves is just as predictable.

[SerfaBoy]

Hilariously, I misunderstood the instructions, thinking I only needed to move one square within the time limit of his counting. Despite this, I still wound up on the final square.

[paskky]

I was trying to be unpredictable by starting from bottom right against the rules and he still guessed right 💀

[Hard-R-Energy]

I came into this looking to be impressed, but as soon as you started explaining the rules, I'd already figured out the gimmick. This is only one step about those social media numbers games where someone predicts a number you've picked by asking you to complete a series of simple math equations.

[SuperWiiBros]

That makes sense and clearly it was never about being predictable, there's rules and patterns that have to be followed that will end with the same result
Is only called predictable by hiding the patterns

[hazyyassin]

I'm more impressed at how he can make the papers float in the air

[Moondew]

Honestly this guy explained the trick pretty well. I did it before to one of my friends and struggled with explaining it to her but this is very well explained

[michaelatlas]

You have freedom, but by the end of it, you feel like you're being dragged around instead of moving around freely, this has more applications than just a fun little game. It can really be applied to psychology and behaviour/communication to achieve the same results.

[Hwyadylaw]

Interesting how people say they "won" by not landing on the predicted square.

[mitiara]

i love that it's been almost *a decade* from this video being published and we still see it on our home page

[vivianoranges]

After the first three post-it notes was removed I was complaining because "he didn't give me enough moves (to get to the spot I wanted)" and then it took a split second to realise it was definitely a math thing, which is not my forte but could definitely recognise it, which makes me a little bit proud of myself ^^

[eminkilicaslan]

"How predictable are you"

Me clicking off without watching video: Parry this you filthy casual