App

5 Dice: Order of Operations Game

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet
This 5 Dice: Order of Operations Game app also includes:

Sometimes the simplest ideas can be the most challenging to solve! In this app, you are given five numbers and a set of operators, and you need to create an expression that when evaluated using the order of operations simplifies as the target number. Sounds easy, doesn't it?  

5th - 9th Math 2 Collections 432 Views 173 Downloads
CCSS: Designed
App Overview

The wonderful thing about the 5 Dice: Order of Operation Game app is that it is a simple idea and needs very few directions to play. However, it is a quite challenging math game that allows young math learners to explore expressions using the order of operations and teaches them perseverance in problem solving. What else could you ask for in a free app? 

The Game:

  • Roll the five dice
  • The numbers on the dice are added up to get the target number
  • Using the five numbers you just rolled and a set of operators, try to create an expression that when evaluated, will equal the target number
  • Test your result to see how close you come to the target number
  • If you think you can do better on the next try, go ahead, otherwise, a correct result is clearly displayed and the start the whole process over with a new roll of the dice

Options:

  • Single-player game: Could be used by one person or in a small cooperative group setting
  • Two-player game: Allows two tablets that have a Bluetooth connection to play against each other (Note: This option seems to be less reliable, but one can easily use this app without this feature)

Settings:

  • Operations can be set to the following:
    • Addition and subtraction only
    • Multiplication and division only
    • Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
    • Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and parentheses
    • Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, parentheses, and exponents (Note: This mode is quite challenging as the numbers get rather large)

Additional Options:

  • A writable white board to work out problems is included 
  • Scores can be sent to an e-mail address. The following very limited information is collected:
    • Player name
    • Number of games played
    • Number of second attempts tried
    • Score
    • Wins (two player game)
  • A free printable game sheet is also available to use with your class
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Instructional Ideas
  • As cooperative groups work together, challenge the groups to get the ratio of overall attempts to correct attempts closest to 1. 
Classroom Considerations
  • The printable game sheet makes it possible to explore this game even if the number of tablets available to your class is limited
  • This app makes a great cooperative learning app as well. Small groups of kids can work together to reason out the correct solution
Pros
  • One can set the problem complexity by choosing which available  operations to use for creating expressions
  • The additional attempt feature encourages children continue to work at solving difficult problems
  • The correct solution is written out a clear step-by-step way
  • The printable game sheet has many more Common Core-designed math games, in addition to game sheets for this game
Cons
  • Can only score points when you get exactly the target number (Getting close doesn't count)