games in maths
DESCRIPTION
Keynote Lecture at Maths Games Event at Centre of Excellence (Mathematics) at East ZoneTRANSCRIPT
Games in Mathematics
Yeap Ban Har
Marshall Cavendish Institute
Singapore
Pathlight School
Singapore
Keynote Lecture presented at COE@ZE Maths Games Event
6 September 2010
Example 1
He has 2 and
she has 4. What
is my number?
Salute! The
product is 40.
Salute
Discussion
• Games can be used to increase opportunities for mental strategies.
• Games can be used to develop number sense.
Example 2
Sudoku with Cubes
Fill in the nine spaces with numbers 1, 2 or 3 such that each
row has each number exactly once.
2
3
3 2 2
2
3
3 2 2
Sudoku with Cubes
2
3
3 2 2
2
3
3 2 2
1
2
3
31
2
1
3
2
2
21
2
2
2
21
2
2
Sudoku with Cubes
3
32 1
1 3 2
2 1
Discussion
• Games can be used to develop spatial visualization.
Example 3
Take One or Two
The game is for two
players.
Start with any number of
paper clips
Take turns to remove
either one or two paper
clips.The winner is the player
who remove the last paper
clip(s).
What is the winning
strategy?
What if the rule is
changed? A player
removes either one, two or
three clips.
Discussion
• Games can be used to help student look for patterns and make generalization.
Example 4
This was not discussed during the lecture but I invite you to think how atraditional Southeast Asian game can be used to develop mathematical thinking.
Congkak
Congkak
Congkak
Congkak
Congkak
Conclusion
Games
• To develop number sense
• To develop spatial visualization
• To develop patterning and generalization