"The Magic Finger" is a children's book written by British author Roald Dahl. Published in 1962, this short story follows a young girl who has an extraordinary power known as the "magic finger" that she uses to bring justice to those who harm animals. The story revolves around the main character, whose name is never given but is simply referred to as the girl with the magic finger. She lives on a farm next to the Gregg family, who are known for their passion for hunting. The girl becomes extremely upset when she sees the Greggs shooting birds with their weapons. In an act of retaliation, the girl points her magic finger at the Greggs' house and uses her power.
This is an Order-16 pandiagonal pure magic square so uses the consecutive numbers from 1 to 256.
Each of the 16 rows, columns, and diagonals sum to the constant 2056
The E. S. each also sum to 2056 and the H. H. each sum to 2056 x 2.
The magic constant of a normal magic square depends only on n and has the value M n n sup2 1 2 For normal magic squares of order n 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,8, 183 183 183 183, the magic constants are 15, 34, 65, 111, 175, 260, 183 183 183 183. The magic constant of a normal magic square depends only on n and has the value M n n sup2 1 2 For normal magic squares of order n 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,8, 183 183 183 183, the magic constants are 15, 34, 65, 111, 175, 260, 183 183 183 183.
In an act of retaliation, the girl points her magic finger at the Greggs' house and uses her power. To everyone's surprise, the magic finger causes the Greggs to undergo a dramatic transformation – their roles are reversed, and they become tiny, fragile creatures with wings instead of arms. The Greggs are left helpless, and their victimized state ultimately teaches them a valuable lesson about empathy and compassion.
Unusual Magic Squares
This pattern, which is a torus drawn in two dimensions may be used as an order-5 pandiagonal magic square generator.
Examples:
Start at number 1, and follow the big circles, to generate the rows of the A. magic square (below).
Start at number 2, and follow the big circles, to generate the columns of the B magic square.
25 different pandiagonal magic squares can be formed this way by starting with each of the 25 numbers on the model.
Another 25 different magic squares can be constructed by forming the rows and columns with the numbers along the spiral lines. See Magic square C, below.
Actually, four magic squares may be constructed by following the radial lines, and another four by following the spiral lines, in either direction around the torus. However, three of these magic squares are just disguised versions of the fourth one, because they are rotations or reflections.
Magic Circles
These two diagrams, between them, illustrate some relationships in this order-4 magic square.
1 6 12 15 A. B.
11 16 2 5 1 + 15 + 4 + 14 -- biggest circle 1 + 15 + 10 + 8 -- 1 of 4 big circles
8 3 13 10 1 + 12 + 13 + 8 -- 1 of 4 medium circles 11 + 2 + 13 + 8 -- 1 of 4 small circles
14 9 7 4 1 + 6 + 16 + 11 -- 1 of 5 small circles
Thanks for the idea to W. S. Andrews, Magic Squares and Cubes, Dover, 1960.
Pandiagonal with Special Numbers.
Prime Number Heterosquares
The Order-3 heterosquare on the left consists of 9 prime numbers. The 3 rows, 3 columns and the 2 main diagonals all sum to different prime numbers. The sum of all 9 cells is also a prime number.
Is this the square with the smallest possible total with eighteen unique primes (including the totals)?
The Square on the right has identical features, but in addition consists of consecutive primes.
Is this the square with the smallest possible total with nine consecutive primes?
These squares designed by Carlos Rivera, Sept. 98. See his Web page on Prime Puzzles & Problems at
http://www.sci.net.mx/~crivera/
Double HH
This is an Order-16 pandiagonal pure magic square so uses the consecutive numbers from 1 to 256.
Each of the 16 rows, columns, and diagonals sum to the constant 2056
The E. S. each also sum to 2056 and the H. H. each sum to 2056 x 2.
Constructed in Sept./98 by E.W. Shineman, Jr. for myself. Thanks Ed.
Update: Sept. 14, 2001
After investigating the Franklin 16x16 squares, I did the same tests on this one. Here are the results of that test.
If there are 16 cells in the pattern, they sum to S. If there are only 4 cells to a pattern, their sum is S/4, and 8 cell patterns produce S/2.
The word All with no qualifier means that the pattern may be started at ANYof the 256 cells of the magic square.
| All rows of 16 cells. All columns of 16 cells. All rows of 8 cells starting on EVEN columns All columns of 8 cells starting on rows 8 & 16 All rows of 4 cells starting on EVEN columns All columns of 4 cells starting on rows 2 & 10 All rows of 2 cells starting on EVEN columns All 16 cell diagonals All 2x2 square arrays Corners of all even squares All 16 cell small patterns (fully symmetrical within a 6x6 or 8x8 square array) All 16 cell midsize patterns (fully symmetrical within a 10 or 12 square array) All 16 cell large patterns (fully symmetrical within a 14 or 16 square array) All horizontal 2-cell segment bent-diagonals All vertical 2-cell segment bent-diagonals, R, L starting on ODD rows All vertical 2-cell segment bent-diagonals, L, R starting on EVEN rows All horizontal 4-cell segment bent-diagonals starting in column 4, 8, 12 and 16 All vertical 4-cell segment bent-diagonals starting in column 2, 6, 10, 14 NO 8-cell segment (regular) bent-diagonals All knight-move horizontal 8-cell segment, bent-diagonals All knight-move vertical 8-cell segment, bent-diagonals |
See more on the Franklin page
Shineman's Magic Diamonds
Constructed by E. W. Shineman, Jr. , treasurer, to commemorate his company's 75 th (Diamond) Anniversary in 1966 . It contains 5 special numbers.
75 The anniversary.
18 & 91 1891 The year the company was founded.
206 Net sales in 1966 (millions of dollars).
244 Net earnings (cents per share).
24 combinations of 4 numbers sum to 1966 .
Also constructed by E. W. Shineman, Jr., this in 1990 for his 75 th birthday.
This one contains 11 special numbers.
75 Age on reaching diamond anniversary.
33 (1933) Year graduated from high school.
4-9-15 Date of birth.
1878 Year father was born.
22 Age when graduated from college
86 (1886) Birthyear of Father-in-law & mother-in-law
1885 Year mother was born.
63 & 68 (1963 &1968) Years of career milestones
24 combinations of 4 numbers sum to 1990 .
Order-8 with embedded star
This order-8 magic square is composed of four order-4 pure magic squares. The embedded magic star is index # 16 and is super-magic (the points also sum to the constant 34).
The index numbers of the magic squares are:
upper left # 390 equivalent upper right # 142 the basic solution
lower left # 724 equivalent lower right # 271 equivalent
The equivalent solutions require rotations and/or reflections in order to match the basic solution # shown.
Fr�nicle, assigned these magic square index numbers about 1675, when he published a list of all 880 basic solutions for the order-4 magic square. For more information, see
Benson & Jacoby, New Recreations with Magic Squares, Dover Publ., 1976.
The magic star index numbers were designed and assigned by me and a full description appears at Magic Star Definitions.
Thanks to Arto Juhani Heino who e-mailed me this pattern on Jul. 15/98.
Order-4 square to order-8 star.
This diagram shows some relationships between an order-8B magic star and an order-4 magic square.
Both patterns are basic solutions. The star is index # 57 (Heinz) and the square is index # 666 (Fr�nicle).
Thanks to Arto Juhani Heino for this design.
Franklin 8 x 8 Magic Square
This magic square was constructed by Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790).
It has many interesting properties as illustrated by the following cell patterns.
Because the square is continuous, (wraps around), each pattern is repeated 64 times ( 8 in each direction).
It also has the property that any 4 by 4 square sums to the constant, 2056, as well as some other combinations.
It has many interesting properties as illustrated by the following cell patterns.
Throughout the book, Dahl uses imaginative and witty storytelling to highlight the importance of treating animals with kindness and respect. The magical element adds a touch of whimsy and fantasy, making the story appealing to young readers. "The Magic Finger" is not only entertaining but also carries an important message about the ethical treatment of animals. It encourages readers to consider the consequences of their actions and to stand up against cruelty. Dahl's unique ability to address serious themes while maintaining an engaging and child-friendly narrative makes this book a timeless classic. Overall, "The Magic Finger" is a delightful children's book that combines magic, humor, and a strong moral lesson. It is a testament to Dahl's talent as a storyteller and his ability to create captivating tales that resonate with both children and adults. Through this entertaining story, readers are reminded of the power of compassion and the impact one person can have in bringing about positive change in the world..
Reviews for "Discovering the Magic Finger: A Journey through Roald Dahl's Fictional Worlds"
1. John - 2/5 stars - I found "The magic finger book" to be quite disappointing. The story lacked depth and the characters were not well-developed. I also felt that the plot was predictable and lacked originality. Overall, I expected more from this book and was left feeling unsatisfied.
2. Emily - 3/5 stars - While "The magic finger book" had an interesting concept, I found the execution to be lacking. The writing style was simplistic and didn't engage me as a reader. Additionally, I felt that the book lacked emotional depth and failed to deliver any meaningful message. Overall, this book failed to captivate me and I wouldn't highly recommend it.
3. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I was quite disappointed with "The magic finger book". The storyline was weak and the characters felt one-dimensional. I also found the writing style to be bland and uninspiring. The book lacked the magical and imaginative elements that I was hoping for, and I struggled to connect with the story. Overall, I would not recommend this book to others as it didn't live up to my expectations.
4. Michael - 2/5 stars - "The magic finger book" was a letdown for me. The plot felt rushed and underdeveloped, leaving many loose ends. The characters were not well-rounded and their actions didn't always make sense. I found myself struggling to stay engaged with the story, as it lacked the captivating elements I was hoping for. Overall, this book didn't leave a lasting impression on me and I cannot recommend it.