Game

Title: Math-Zee!
Target Audience: 8th Grade Algebra classroom
Domain: The Number System
Cluster:
Know that there are numbers that are not rational, and approximate them by
rational numbers.
Standard:
1. Know that numbers that are not rational are called irrational. Understand
informally that every number has a decimal expansion; for rational numbers show
that the decimal expansion repeats eventually, and convert a decimal expansion
which repeats eventually into a rational number.
Learning Objectives: Determine if numbers are rational or irrational.
Game Reference: Yahtzee

Game Description
Materials Needed: Number cubes (Dice). Each number cube should be labeled with
3 rational and 3 irrational numbers. Students will need pen/pencil and paper to
record how many Math-Zees they get. Each group of students will get 5 number
cubes, depending on how many groups there are, you will need 5 (number of
groups) number cubes. If there are 10 groups, then you will need 50 number cubes,
preferably with a wide array of rational and irrational numbers.

Rules: Students work in pairs or groups of 3. One student picks up all 5 number
cubes and rolls. Based on the roll the student will decide to go for all rational or
all irrational numbers. The student sets aside the cubes they want to keep and
rolls the remaining number cubes two more times. If the student gets all rational or
all irrational numbers they get a Math-Zee and get 1 point. The student records
their point if they got a Math-Zee and play moves to the next student. The winner of
Math-Zee is whoever has the most points by the end of play. During the game
students can swap their number cubes with another group in order to get new
numbers.

Practice:
The name of the game is Math-Zee! The first player in the group will roll all 5 dice
(or number cubes). After you roll your dice review the numbers and determine if
you have more rational or irrational numbers. Work together as a group to verify if
the numbers are rational and irrational.

Content Discussion
Can anyone remind me of the definitions of rational and irrational numbers?
!

Rational Number Any number that can be expressed in the form ! where a
and b are both integers and b is not zero.
!

Irrational Number Any number which cannot be expressed as a fraction !

where a and b are both integers and b is not zero.

Write the student given definitions on the board (should be the definitions shown
above).

Set aside the dice you wish to keep depending on if youre going for all rational or
all irrational numbers. Roll the dice again and set aside those you want to keep.
Roll the dice a third time and see if you got a Math-Zee, which is all of the dice
showing rational numbers or all of the dice showing irrational numbers. If you got a
Math-Zee whoever is keeping score will marks down a point. Each Math-Zee is
worth 1 point. Give the dice to the next player for their turn. Whoever has the most
points when I call time wins the game.

If students are struggling with understanding bring the class back together to
review examples of rational numbers.
Rational Numbers:

Integers

All fractions and mixed numbers

Any decimal that terminates or repeats

Irrational Numbers:

Decimals that never terminate and never repeat

Numbers that must be represented by a symbol (, e)

After 5 minutes have groups swap dice so each group gets a fresh set of numbers.
After 10 minutes call time on the game. Give out a reward to those that won AND
those that didnt win if youd like. (e.g. two pieces of candy for the winners and one
piece of candy for the non-winners)