Fixit Maths

Learning from Mistakes

Largest number

A game for 2 or more players

This game gives practice of reading and comparing/ordering numbers, helping learners to understand the relative value of each digit in a number and the meaning of expressions such as 2-digit number or 2 decimal places. There are many possible variations, including playing with a place value grid , Dienes/base 10 or money.

You will need:

  • A 10-sided dice (though a standard 6-sided dice could be used instead)
  • Pen and paper

    • How to play

    Each player records dashes on their paper (as if playing hangman) - 2 dashes if working with 2-digit numbers, 3 for 3-digit number etc. Players then take turns to roll the dice and decide in which position to record the number rolled, stating where they are recording the digit (in the ones or tens etc). The player with the largest number when all the dashes are filled wins the round and gains a point. First to an agreed number of points wins the game.

    Variations

  • Dienes/base 10 or coins can also be used, with players choosing to take either ones or tens for the number rolled to physically make their number.
  • A place value grid can be used initially to reinforce the place value sequence and vocabulary
  • Instead of recording the digit themselves, each player must ask an opponent to record it for them, using the correct place value terms.
  • The game can focus on numbers with more digits or with decimal places.
  • The numbers can be written on slips of card/paper, so they can be compared and ordered more easily by moving them. Cards for the greater/less than signs could also be used.

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