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Easy Book Test

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009 – running time 13:49
Read your friends' minds with this easy book test miracle!

Segments

Introduction

Effect: a randomly selected word is selected from a randomly selected book... yet without peeking or cheating, YOU tell them which word they're thinking of!

Method: As you'll see in this episode, the first thing you'll have them do is pick a book. Brian offered 3 choices, but it works just as well with one book.

Next, have them pick a 3 digit number, with all 3 digits different. This number will be truly random, but by having them make a couple of calculations, you'll be able to force a particular outcome:

-step 1: pick a 3 digit number, all 3 digits different

-step 2: reverse all 3 digits, and subtract the smaller number from the larger. (in other words, if your first number was 123, you would subtract that from 321, giving you 198).

-step 3: take your NEW number, reverse the digits again, and this time ADD the two together. (in this case, we would add 198 to 891, giving us1089)

(every time you follow these steps, you will always get 1089! ...try it a few times, I know you don't believe me)

00:56

Play

Book Test Revealed

Once you have this number, tell them the last digit will be the word number, and all preceding digits will be the page number. (every time it will be page 108, word #9, but it's important that you act like you didn't know that).

Have them open the book, find the word (which you've previously already memorized), then reveal that you've actually read their mind!

06:31

Play

Kahley's Attempt

See if Kahley can remember the steps and math to pull of the book test.

10:37

Play

Highlights

talking heads: 4:30
ellington: 2:42
scam: 0:24, 0:43
subtracting: 2:59

Automatically Generated Transcript

May not be 100% accurate

" Well. You got to ask you bag and I am delivered we give you."

" The -- test."

" Love child."

" I really do look like you have hair."

" Hello welcome to Scam School the only show dedicated to social engineering at the bar and on the street."

" And -- Brian Brushwood and out of everything we did at south by southwest interactive last year the number one trick everybody wanted to learn was how I did the book test and the truth is the version I used."

" Was too complicated too difficult way too hard to explain in just one episode of Scam School -- the next best thing I've put together a version that will look to most people to be the exact same trick but as -- so easy you'll be able to busted out first thing tonight. So I present to you your very own version. Of the book tests."

" I don't know what I'm Bryant yeah daily and it's good to get did you guys and I. Express how excited I am about this affect it has nothing short -- the -- demonstration. Supernatural powers I'm gonna go Robert James -- million dollar prize and coming yank it away from that he would like give -- money yeah. They don't get it. And anything in the box and I don't know when he okay now and I'll we will read your mind. But the problem is I didn't think of the word on the popular head. There's only about a hundred words are most likely to come up went right because I know right now wolf we just gonna handle the moment I think. -- So we're gonna -- we're gonna get arbitrary word and help us out I grabbed it's everybody's heard. Hell out of everybody sort of -- Fremont looks that I did a lot at a -- library and I grabbed my club my truck fell inaugurated in -- the movie and I did yeah I got -- really began my crank Abigail would you be -- is an amazing story. -- And I actually got down white people believe weird things but Michael -- about the -- yeah. -- weird things in the movies. I think they'll collagen to pick one of these they look good for you what -- experiment I'm going to be totally fair I'm not gonna try to influence you yeah. You may be taken I think we have things like. Which is interesting because -- let's that I figured we'd be more familiar -- We'll get rid of these screening is -- where we're gonna pick a word out of the month. And I wanted truly random and it's all totally banned planting that I wanted him I want you to write down. Any religion number of on this -- part right here anything into them right across the top right there you'll understand why just a moment here. Make sure all three digits are different don't know must out of 666. Because I'm superstitious no mean this is double. Are you got it -- I Ellington put up I don't like yes did pass it over to miss. Mrs. Kennedy is a mask sealed from light in the original seed number and I want you. Look back over I want to see what number zero."

" And I wanted to on anything and put those. And then I want you to tell that's subtracting the difference between the two don't -- maybe like for example of 0123. -- right 321."

" And again and anti does exactly you want what did you feel like that's wrong Steve but we do about time -- young Sam. Nixon tried the lesser from the greater monetize -- and I imagine being a new three digit number and don't you got here. Yeah yeah look what that's about the prospect detailing."

" You did the original C never find out why it's in my life and he's wondering eyes and -- he gave you and you know."

" I want you to do the same thing reversed those did you finish your new that was only one minute or two minutes or whatever it just -- you had -- the to make -- to -- like like 00 to an elected as the June numbers together whenever there."

" Well my."

" Right now he's got some numbers right. Whenever that number is actually -- it up next vote today -- that are going to circle on the last day. Okay -- the ones yeah yeah they got that this single digit -- yeah the ones. 500000 so yeah that -- he word number yeah whenever he does come before that."

" Number now over a month. Bethpage NY network of --"

" Got a catalog they came -- got -- okay you gotta get -- big -- right. How about the most random blanketed him telling the word right after I didn't. Just -- Talking Heads and no psychological -- positions and random number of -- difference having your mom come up with a number of what was the the word coming trying to figure out your way. That's my prediction once and for all. What we're rethinking."

" Thank you. I have to --"

" Just like how good -- you can -- my mind it and it is just like your problem gave you my house. There's flowers. I haven't did you guys exactly out of as the birthday and they had lots of things."

" I don't think -- holiday season."

" Gift buying time haven't made a decision because it might be a little bit lazy. I know I am. You wanna blow their mind this season offered a fix their entire music library offered a fix every ID three tag every bit album art and the best part is. You won't even have to do it yourself."

" Outsourced the work to to adopt it plugs right in iTunes and automatically corrects all of the well labeled and -- music in your collection no more track -- ones."

" Well. You got to ask you bag and I am delivered we give you."

" The -- test."

" Love child."

" I really do look like you have hair."

" Hello welcome to Scam School the only show dedicated to social engineering at the bar and on the street."

" And -- Brian Brushwood and out of everything we did at south by southwest interactive last year the number one trick everybody wanted to learn was how I did the book test and the truth is the version I used."

" Was too complicated too difficult way too hard to explain in just one episode of Scam School -- the next best thing I've put together a version that will look to most people to be the exact same trick but as -- so easy you'll be able to busted out first thing tonight. So I present to you your very own version. Of the book tests."

" I don't know what I'm Bryant yeah daily and it's good to get did you guys and I. Express how excited I am about this affect it has nothing short -- the -- demonstration. Supernatural powers I'm gonna go Robert James -- million dollar prize and coming yank it away from that he would like give -- money yeah. They don't get it. And anything in the box and I don't know when he okay now and I'll we will read your mind. But the problem is I didn't think of the word on the popular head. There's only about a hundred words are most likely to come up went right because I know right now wolf we just gonna handle the moment I think. -- So we're gonna -- we're gonna get arbitrary word and help us out I grabbed it's everybody's heard. Hell out of everybody sort of -- Fremont looks that I did a lot at a -- library and I grabbed my club my truck fell inaugurated in -- the movie and I did yeah I got -- really began my crank Abigail would you be -- is an amazing story. -- And I actually got down white people believe weird things but Michael -- about the -- yeah. -- weird things in the movies. I think they'll collagen to pick one of these they look good for you what -- experiment I'm going to be totally fair I'm not gonna try to influence you yeah. You may be taken I think we have things like. Which is interesting because -- let's that I figured we'd be more familiar -- We'll get rid of these screening is -- where we're gonna pick a word out of the month. And I wanted truly random and it's all totally banned planting that I wanted him I want you to write down. Any religion number of on this -- part right here anything into them right across the top right there you'll understand why just a moment here. Make sure all three digits are different don't know must out of 666. Because I'm superstitious no mean this is double. Are you got it -- I Ellington put up I don't like yes did pass it over to miss. Mrs. Kennedy is a mask sealed from light in the original seed number and I want you. Look back over I want to see what number zero."

" And I wanted to on anything and put those. And then I want you to tell that's subtracting the difference between the two don't -- maybe like for example of 0123. -- right 321."

" And again and anti does exactly you want what did you feel like that's wrong Steve but we do about time -- young Sam. Nixon tried the lesser from the greater monetize -- and I imagine being a new three digit number and don't you got here. Yeah yeah look what that's about the prospect detailing."

" You did the original C never find out why it's in my life and he's wondering eyes and -- he gave you and you know."

" I want you to do the same thing reversed those did you finish your new that was only one minute or two minutes or whatever it just -- you had -- the to make -- to -- like like 00 to an elected as the June numbers together whenever there."

" Well my."

" Right now he's got some numbers right. Whenever that number is actually -- it up next vote today -- that are going to circle on the last day. Okay -- the ones yeah yeah they got that this single digit -- yeah the ones. 500000 so yeah that -- he word number yeah whenever he does come before that."

" Number now over a month. Bethpage NY network of --"

" Got a catalog they came -- got -- okay you gotta get -- big -- right. How about the most random blanketed him telling the word right after I didn't. Just -- Talking Heads and no psychological -- positions and random number of -- difference having your mom come up with a number of what was the the word coming trying to figure out your way. That's my prediction once and for all. What we're rethinking."

" Thank you. I have to --"

" Just like how good -- you can -- my mind it and it is just like your problem gave you my house. There's flowers. I haven't did you guys exactly out of as the birthday and they had lots of things."

" I don't think -- holiday season."

" Gift buying time haven't made a decision because it might be a little bit lazy. I know I am. You wanna blow their mind this season offered a fix their entire music library offered a fix every ID three tag every bit album art and the best part is. You won't even have to do it yourself."

" Outsourced the work to to adopt it plugs right in iTunes and automatically corrects all of the well labeled and -- music in your collection no more track -- ones."

jackierulesall

Started discussion: December 17, 2009 @ 11:53am GMT

Episode 92 - Easy Book Test [Discussion]

Read your friends' minds with this easy book test miracle!

Watch or download now!

CucumberBoy
3 months ago
"Square root of i."

Nice!
Kamasutra
3 months ago
Somehow I figured it would happen, and hopefully people note this if they're going to use Fight Club. But Kaylee (sp?) actually wrote "Backwards" when the word is "backward". Capitalizing isn't such a big deal, but adding an "s" changes the word.
HollowTip
3 months ago
Is there a name to this mathematical process? I showed it to my friend who is a math major and he's interested in the name/process behind it.
Kamasutra
3 months ago
In reply to HollowTip:
Is there a name to this mathematical process? I showed it to my friend who is a math major and he's interested in the name/process behind it.

I don't think it has a specific name. It's just an algorithm that given the proper kind of input, is designed to give the same output. Now if your friend is interested in the process, just Google the trick and there are algebraic explanations as to how/why it works.
cmanning
3 months ago

Promo Code expired

Hey guys. Love the show. Wanted to use the Tune Up promo code to get a lifetime license and the site says the code has expired. Might want to get that sorted out so you can get credit.
n8white
3 months ago

location

where did you shoot the intro/outro of this episode?
patrickd
3 months ago
Much like the Professor Alfred Singleton-style trick, I turned this one into an IM trick.

My girlfriend is reading the second Twilight book, New Moon. Seeing a copy in the store while Christmas shopping the other day, I looked at page 108, word 9. Tonight, via IM, I tried the trick on her:

After doing all the math parts and explaining how to find the page/word...
Me: Go get your book. :)
Me: The word you picked is "road".
Her: WHAT?!
Me: HA HA HA! :D
Me: I got it?
Her: yes.. but only b/c you knew what book I'd pick
Me: ...but I also knew the word that you'd get after that math!
Her: .. i think
Her: yeah... ive seen things like that before
Her: no matter what, the answer is 1089
Me: Oh, you weren't supposed to figure that part out. :P
Her: haha... I'm a smarty pants
jdert
3 months ago
In reply to n8white:
where did you shoot the intro/outro of this episode?


Our Revision3 control room in our studio space.
Preske
3 months ago
Neat trick, but I had a hard time hearing everything.
The background noise was to loud, and so was the music.
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