Robert Hatch

SUBTOPICS:

 Convincing students to do assignments on time by persuading them that you are THE BEAST.

OBJECTIVES:

1. The students will see how the number 666 can be magically deduced

Background Information

Recently, Pat Robertson and other T.V. evangelists have been deducing the number 666 from the names and/or birth dates of unfavorable political or religious figures.

By following the set of instructions below, you can ensure that your students will derive the number 666 from your own name! Thus, this will guarantee optimum performance from the students for the rest of the term.

ACTIVITY #1:

The Magic Square

           1 class period

PROCEDURE:

1. Somehow, derive the number 34 from your name and date of birth. How you do this is up to you! BE CREATIVE!
    
   Example

   Name: Walter George Schroeder–total letters 21

   DOB: April 13, 1939–born on the 13th day 13

   Total 34

2. Tell students that you will, therefore, begin the magic square with the number “34.”
3. Derive the number 9 from your name or date of birth. How you do so is up to you.
   Example

   Name: Schroeder = 9 letters

4. Now tell the students that the magic square will have 9 rows and 9 columns.
   
34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 

43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 

52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 

61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 

70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 

79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 

88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 

97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 

106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 

5. Now, ask the students to pick any set of numbers 1 at a time. 
6. After each number is picked, eliminate all the other numbers in the same column and row from which the number was picked. 
7. Have the students choose another number an repeat the process (if a student picks 34, you would then eliminate the row 34-43 and the column 34-106). The students will then choose another number from the numbers remaining.
8. When you run out of numbers add up all the numbers the students have picked. No matter what numbers the students have chosen, the total will always be….”shudder”….666!

Bibliography

Gardner, Martin. Science: Good, Bad, and Bogus.

Gardner, Martin. The New Age: Notes of a Fringe Watcher.

The Magnificent Randi Shirley Maclaine. Out on a Limb.