Saturday, September 8, 2007

mathCards



When it comes to games, especially like card games or board games, one of things that I'm really interested in is creating games for children that are educational. "mathCards", is one such game I've been thinking and re-thinking about, which will help children not only learn math, but become extremely quick at it. And they do this while enjoying the game.

What I have in mind, is have a set of generic cards, which look like the ones below. Each mathCard has a big central number, and four number around it. If you notice, all the four numbers add up to the central number.



Using a set of such cards (total number TBD), with the central number ranging from 1-9 (thats right, no zeros!!), I plan to design multiple games around it.

And, just for the heck of it, I'm going to name the central numbers as the "value" of the card.

Now these are the couple of games I have in mind:

1. mathCards - Windows (EASY)

Objective & Rules: This rummy style game, will basically start off with 4 cards being dealt to each player. And the rest of the pack is kept in the center, with only the top card facing up. In order to win the hand, each player must arrange the four cards like shown below, in such a way that the four numbers that meet in the center, must add up to [X - TBD].





1 + 3 + 2 + 0 = 6


-On a players turn, he/she can exchange one of his/her cards for either card on top of the two piles (facing down and facing up).
-If more than one players finish on a round, then the winner of the hand is the one with greater sum of the "values" of the four cards in hand.



2. mathCards - iEquate (MEDIUM)

Objective & Rules: This also a rummy based game, and like the previous will start off with 4 (or more, upto 6) cards being dealt to each player. And the rest of the pack is kept in the center, with only the top card facing up. In order to win the hand, each player, must create an equation with his/her cards, and the following mathematical operators { +, - , * , / } and a mandatory '='. Like shown below



3 * 4 = 6 * 2


-On a players turn, he/she can exchange one of his/her cards for either card on top of the two piles (facing down and facing up).
-If more than one players finish on a round, then the winner of the hand is decided on who has a higher value on either side of the "=" operator.




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