The Product Game

Students make connections and expand on what they have learned in the first three lessons. Students explain the effects of different moves on the game board. Finally, students "Guess My Number" using various clues.

Students can answer on the following questions in pairs, or you may choose to have a class discussion about each of the questions.

1. On the 6 × 6 Product Game board, suppose your markers are on 16, 18, and 28, and your opponent's markers are on 14, 21, and 30. The paper clips are on 5 and 6. It is your turn to move a paper clip.

    

   • List the possible moves you could make.
   • Which move(s) would give you three squares in a row?
   • Which move(s) would allow you to block your opponent?
   • Which move would you make? Explain your strategy.

    

   1	2	3	4	5	6
   7	8	9	10	12	14
   15	16	18	20	21	24
   25	27	28	30	32	35
   36	40	42	45	48	49
   54	56	63	64	72	81

   
    

   1

   2

   3

   4

   5

   6

   7

   8

   9

    

2. What four factors were used to create the Product Game board below?  What number is missing from the grid?

    

   9	15	18
   21	?	30	35
   	36	42	49

    

3. Think about the following questions dealing with time:

    

   • In developing ways to calculate time, astronomers divided an hour into 60 minutes. Why is 60 a good choice (better than 59 or 61)?
   • If you were to select another number to represent the minutes in an hour, what would be a good choice? Why?

    

4. What is my number?

    

   • Clue 1 When you divide my number by 5, the remainder is 4.
   • Clue 2 My number has two digits, and both digits are even.
   • Clue 3 The sum of the digits is 10.