FINDING THE WORD

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1960, 3 April 1919, Page 1

FINDING THE WORD

Perhaps the most sensational performance of this nature is to ask any person in a room to take a book, open it at random, and select a word; and, by means of the magic of figures, you will toll the particular word selected.

This is done by asking your friend to select any word in fhe ter. first lines, and within ten from (he end of the line. Ask her to double the number .of the page, and multiply the result by 5, and add 20; then, to add the number of (he line, also add 5, and multiply by 10. To the total add the number' of the word in the line, and subtract 250. The last figure of the total will always be the number of the word, the next figure the number of the line, and the remaining figures the number of the page. As an example: —Someone selects, say, the fifth word of the eighth line, on page 402. Double the number of page 804 Multiply by 5 4020 Add 20 ' 4040 Add the number of line (8) 4048 Add 5 4003 Multiply by 10 -10530 Add number of words in I line (5) .10535 ' Subtract 250 40285

She tells you the answer is 40285, whieh gives you (the last ligiiro) the number of the word, 5; next (iim next iigure) the iiumher of the line, 8; and the remaining figures w ;n ’ )C the number of the page, 402. You take the book, open it at 402, look at the fifth word in the eighth hue, and —you have it!