What is a Magic Square? It is all about the math!

I love math puzzles and one of my favorites is magic squares. Magic square are a neat math trick that you can teach students to create and challenge each other with.

A Magic square is an arrangement of integers in a square grid where all the numbers in any given row, column, or diagonal add up to the same sum.

The magic square dates back to early times in many cultures and has many different historical significance in several different cultures.

The most common magic square is a 3 by 3 square. This is an 3 sided square that have 3² spaces or 9 numbers.

The object of a magic square is to have all of the rows, columns, and diagonals add up to a common number. The common number for the rows, columns, and diagonals sums is called the Magic Constant or the Magic Sum.

My students always seems to forget about the diagonals also being part of the Magic Constant. So when you are solving make sure to take into account the diagonals.

The first thing to do when solving a magic square with missing elements is to add up the parts you do know.

I can see with the magic square on the right that the Magic Constant is 15.

By finding the Magic constant I can then use the numbers that I have to determine what parts I am missing.

I know that 4+5 = 9 and 8 + 1 = 9 so therefore the upper right corner must be 6. I place 6 into the missing box.

Now I only have one place left to determine.

4 + 9 = 13

7+6 = 13

8 +5 = 13

therefore the upper left corner is 2 since 13 + 2 = 15.

Try to see if you can solve the Magic Square at the bottom.

• Create a magic square problem of the week
• Have student create their own
• Create the puzzle and switch with a neighbor
• Fast finishers
• Addition practice