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  • Early Years Foundation Stage

Dicey Operations

Age 11 to 14
Challenge Level Yellow star
Secondary curriculum
  • Game
  • Teachers' Resources


This game follows on from Nice or Nasty. You might like to try Dicey Addition before playing this game.


Again, there are several games to choose from.

Find a partner and a 1-6 dice, or preferably a 0-9 dice if you have one. The interactivity in Dice and Spinners can be used to simulate throwing different dice.

Take turns to throw the dice and decide which of your cells to fill.
This can be done in two ways: either fill in each cell as you throw the dice, or collect all your numbers and then decide where to place them.
 

Game 1

Each of you draw an addition grid like this:

3 by 3 addition grid

Throw the dice nine times each until all the cells are full.

Whoever has the sum closest to 1000 wins.

There are two possible scoring systems:

  • A point for a win. The first person to reach 10 wins the game.
  • Each player keeps a running total of their "penalty points", the difference between their result and 1000 after each round. First to 5000 loses.

You can vary the target to make it easier or more difficult.
 

Game 2

Each of you draw a subtraction grid like this:

4 by 2 subtraction grid

Throw the dice eight times each until all the cells are full.

Whoever has the difference closest to 1000 wins.

There are two possible scoring systems:

  • A point for a win. The first person to reach 10 wins the game.
  • Each player keeps a running total of their "penalty points", the difference between their result and 1000 after each round. First to 5000 loses.
You can vary the target to make it easier or more difficult, perhaps including negative numbers as your target.
 
 

Game 3
 

Each of you draw a multiplication grid like this:
3 - 1 multiplication grid
 
Throw the dice four times each until all the cells are full.
 

Whoever has the product closest to 1000 wins.

There are two possible scoring systems:

  • A point for a win. The first person to reach 10 wins the game.
  • Each player keeps a running total of their "penalty points", the difference between their result and 1000 after each round. First to 5000 loses.
You can vary the target to make it easier or more difficult.
 

Game 4

Each of you draw a multiplication grid like this:

3 -2 multiplication grid

Throw the dice five times each until all the cells are full.

Whoever has the product closest to 10000 wins.
 

There are two possible scoring systems:
  • A point for a win. The first person to reach 10 wins the game.
  • Each player keeps a running total of their "penalty points", the difference between their result and 10000 after each round. First to 10000 loses.
You can vary the target to make it easier or more difficult.
 
You could introduce a decimal point. The decimal point could take up one of the cells so the dice would only need to be thrown four times by each player. You will need to decide on an appropriate target.
 
 

Game 5

4 -1 division grid
 
Each of you draw a division grid like this:
 
Throw the dice five times each until all the cells are full.

Whoever has the answer closest to 1000 wins.

There are two possible scoring systems:

  • A point for a win. The first person to reach 10 wins the game.
  • Each player keeps a running total of their "penalty points", the difference between their result and 1000 after each round. First to 5000 loses.
You can vary the target to make it easier or more difficult.

Game 6

Each of you draw a division grid like this:

4 -2 division grid

Throw the dice six times each until all the cells are full.

Whoever has the answer closest to 100 wins.

There are two possible scoring systems:

  • A point for a win. The first person to reach 10 wins the game.
  • Each player keeps a running total of their "penalty points", the difference between their result and 100 after each round. First to 500 loses.

You can vary the target to make it easier or more difficult.
 

You may like to make use of this Operation Grid/Scoring Sheet 

Click here for a poster of this problem.

 

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The NRICH Project aims to enrich the mathematical experiences of all learners. To support this aim, members of the NRICH team work in a wide range of capacities, including providing professional development for teachers wishing to embed rich mathematical tasks into everyday classroom practice.

NRICH is part of the family of activities in the Millennium Mathematics Project.

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