Mathematical Games

Reaction of Mathematical Game

Mathematical puzzles vary from the simple to deep problems which are still unsolved. The whole history of mathematics is interwoven with mathematical games which have led to the study of many areas of mathematics. Number games, geometrical puzzles, network problems and combinatoric problems are among the best known types of puzzles.

Learning Mathematics Through Games

Why Games?

We all know that children enjoy playing games. Experience tells us that games can be very productive learning activities. But .

• What should teachers say when asked to educationally justify the use of games in mathematics lessons?
• Are some games better than others?
• What educational benefits are there to be gained from games?

 What is a mathematical game?

 When considering the use of games for teaching mathematics, educators should distinguish between an 'activity' and a 'game'. Expert states that "A 'game' needs to have two or more players, who take turns, each competing to achieve a 'winning' situation of some kind, each able to exercise some choice about how to move at any time through the playing". The key idea in this statement is that of 'choice'. In this sense, something like Snakes and Ladders is NOT a game because winning relies totally on chance.

The players make no decisions, nor do that have to think further than counting. There is also no interaction between players - nothing that one player does affects other players' turns in any way.






Mathematical games are 'activities' which:

• involve a challenge, usually against one or more opponents; a
• are governed by a set of rules and have a clear underlying structure;
• normally have a distinct finishing point;
• have specific mathematical cognitive objectives.

Benefits of Using Games

The advantages of using games in a mathematical programmer have been summarized.

• Meaningful situations - for the application of mathematical skills are created by games
• Motivation - children freely choose to participate and enjoy playing
• Positive attitude - Games provide opportunities for building self-concept and developing positive attitudes towards mathematics, through reducing the fear of failure and error;
• Increased learning - in comparison to more formal activities, greater learning can occur through games due to the increased interaction between children, opportunities to test intuitive ideas and problem solving strategies
• Different levels - Games can allow children to operate at different levels of thinking and to learn from each other. In a group of children playing a game, one child might be encountering a concept for the first time, another may be developing his/her understanding of the concept, a third consolidating previously learned concepts
• Assessment - children's thinking often becomes apparent through the actions and decisions they make during a game, so the teacher has the opportunity to carry out diagnosis and assessment of learning in a non-threatening situation
• Home and school - Games provide 'hands-on' interactive tasks for both school and home
• Independence - Children can work independently of the teacher. The rules of the game and the children's motivation usually keep them on task.

Few language barriers - An additional benefit becomes evident when children from non-English-speaking backgrounds are involved. The basic structures of some games are common to many cultures, and the procedures of simple games can be quickly learned through observation. Children who are reluctant to participate in other mathematical activities because of language barriers will often join in a game, and so gain access to the mathematical learning as well as engage in structured social interaction.

Hints for Successful Classroom Games

Here some specific tips come from experts :

• Make sure the game matches the mathematical objective
• Use games for specific purposes, not just time-fillers
• Keep the number of players from two to four, so that turns come around quickly
• The game should have enough of an element of chance so that it allows weaker students to feel that they a chance of winning
• Keep the game completion time short
• Use five or six 'basic' game structures so the children become familiar with the rules - vary the mathematics rather than the rules
• Send an established game home with a child for homework
• Invite children to create their own board games or variations of known games.

Some different types of games and the sort of mathematical thinking.
One way of classifying games is by their format, that is; the equipment used and the sort of actions the players are involved in. Examples have been provided by referring to well-known games,

Game Formats

Races
These games involve racing pieces around or across a board to a finishing point, like Ludo. Other games might be a race against time.

Some race games depend on rote learnt skills, like basic counting or reciting number facts, and therefore have limited mathematical value. Such games also tend to have little interaction between players, or interdependence between 'turns' and therefore require little or no strategy development. However, race games can be deliberately designed to focus on particular mathematical skills, such as the probability game and the arithmetic game like.

Tricky Track

Fast Figuring

Board Games

Spatial Strategy Games

• Mini Draught

Numerical Strategy Games 

Card Games

Arithmetical Games

Matching Games

Mystery Games