Editing Magic 8 Ball (section)

==Design and usage==
[[File:Magic 8 Ball - Instrument Of Evil? (2426454804).jpg|thumb|One of the possible responses of the Magic 8 Ball.]]
The Magic 8 Ball is a hollow plastic sphere resembling a black-and-white 8 ball. Its standard size is larger than an ordinary pool ball, but it has been made in different sizes. Inside the ball, a cylindrical reservoir contains a white plastic 20-sided [[regular icosahedron]] [[dice|die]] floating in approximately {{convert|100|ml|usfloz|abbr=on|frac=2}} of alcohol dyed dark blue. Each of the die's 20 faces has an affirmative, negative, or non-committal statement printed in raised letters. These messages are read through a window on the ball's bottom.

To use the ball, it must be held with the window initially facing down to allow the die to float within the cylinder. After asking the ball a [[yes–no question]], the user then turns the ball so that the window faces up. The die floats to the top, and one face presses against the window; the raised letters displace the blue liquid to reveal the message as white letters on a blue background. Although most users shake the ball before turning it upright, the instructions warn against doing so to avoid white bubbles.

While the Magic 8 Ball has undergone very few changes, an addition in 1975 by new owners, [[Ideal Toy Company]], fixed the bubble problem.<ref>{{cite web |title=Today I Found Out |url=http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2016/05/inventing-the-magic-8-ball/ |website=Today I Found Out|date=2 May 2016 }}</ref> Its patented "Bubble Free Die Agitator", an inverted funnel, reroutes the air trapped inside.<ref>{{US patent|4049277}}</ref> The solution has been used ever since.

===Possible answers===
The 20 possible Magic 8 Ball answers were designed by Dr. Lucien Cohen, a [[psychology]] professor at the [[University of Cincinnati]]. The possible answers consist of 10 affirmative answers, five neutral and five negative.<ref name="Walsh-2005" />
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan=2 | Affirmative
! Neutral
! Negative
|-
|
* It is certain
* It is decidedly so
* Without a doubt
* Yes definitely
* You may rely on it
|
* As I see it, yes
* Most likely
* Outlook good
* Yes
* Signs point to yes
|
* Reply hazy, try again
* Ask again later
* Better not tell you now
* Cannot predict now
* Concentrate and ask again
|
* Don't count on it
* My reply is no
* My sources say no
* Outlook not so good
* Very doubtful
|}