Learning Mental Math through Card Games
Posted by David R. Wetzel, Ph.D.
Playing “War” with a deck of cards now has whole new meaning – helping students understand math operations concepts.
This card game helps students develop the ability to apply math concepts in a way that no 100′s of worksheets or 100′s of extra homework problems could ever help.
The basic procedure of turning up one card to determine which has the largest card wins. In this new version of “War” Ace’s are removed, Jacks = 11, Queens = 12, and Kings = 13.
Variations of War
Addition War—Players turn up two cards and add, player with the highest sum wins.
Subtraction War—Players turn up two cards and subtract the smaller number from the larger, player with the greatest difference wins.
Product War—Players turn up two cards and multiply, player with greatest product wins.
Fraction War—Players turn up two cards and make a fraction, using the smaller card as the numerator, player with greatest fraction wins.
Improper Fraction War—Players turn up two cards and make a fraction, using the larger card as the numerator, player with the greatest fraction wins.
Integer Addition War—(Black cards are positive numbers; red cards are negative) Players turn up two cards, player with greatest sum wins.
Integer Product War—(Black cards are positive numbers; red cards are negative) Players turn up two cards, player with greatest product wins.
PEMDAS War—Players turn up three cards and use what ever math operations they wish, player with the greatest answer wins. (no exponents available)
Reverse PEMDAS War—Players turn up three cards and use what ever math operations they wish, player with the lowest absolute value wins. (no exponents available)
These are only some of the variations the game of “War” can be adapted to help students develop a greater understanding of math.
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“As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain, and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality”
Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955)
