Additional Information
Book Details
Abstract
The book presents 18 games and develops the concepts of game analysis and winning strategies. Students are encouraged to play these mathematical games together, collect data developed through their play, and analyze the data to develop a winning strategy. The book provides the basis for a six- to eight-week unit on mathematical games. Each chapter also functions as a self-contained and independent exploration so that selected chapters may be used as supplementary classroom investigations or as independent projects. The book includes both familiar games (such as Quadrangles and Nim) and many others that will be new and exciting to most readers. Through the exploration of mathematical games, ‘The Play’s the Thing’ introduces teachers and students to the fun of play and to the mathematics behind the fun.
The book presents 18 games and develops the concepts of game analysis and winning strategies. Students are encouraged to play these mathematical games together, collect data developed through their play, and analyze the data to develop a winning strategy. Through the exploration of mathematical games, ‘The Play’s the Thing’ introduces teachers and students to the fun of play and to the mathematics behind the fun.
Alan Lipp has been teaching mathematics since 1966, and has been playing games even longer. He has taught in middle schools, high schools, and universities. He lives in South Deerfield, Massachusetts with his wife and a very spoiled cat.
Table of Contents
| Section Title | Page | Action | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front Matter | i | ||
| Half Title | i | ||
| Title Page | iii | ||
| Copyright Page | iv | ||
| Table of Contents: The Acts | vii | ||
| Acknowledgments | xi | ||
| Prologue: To the Teacher | xiii | ||
| Act 0 To the Student | xv | ||
| Main Matter | 1 | ||
| Act 1 Blockers | 1 | ||
| Act 1 Exercises | 2 | ||
| Act 2 Nimble | 5 | ||
| Act 2 Exercises | 6 | ||
| Act 3 More Variations | 9 | ||
| Act 3 Exercises | 10 | ||
| Act 4 Take Away 1, 2, 3 | 13 | ||
| Looking for a Strategy | 13 | ||
| Act 4 Exercises | 14 | ||
| Act 5 Two Piles: A Hidden Game | 17 | ||
| Scene 1 | 17 | ||
| Scene 2 | 17 | ||
| Scene 3 | 18 | ||
| Scene 3 Exercises | 19 | ||
| Act 6 Two Piles 1, 2, 3 | 21 | ||
| Scene 1 | 21 | ||
| Scene 2 | 21 | ||
| Scene 2 Exercises | 22 | ||
| Scene 3 | 22 | ||
| Scene 3 Exercises | 23 | ||
| Scene 4 | 23 | ||
| Scene 4 Exercises | 23 | ||
| Scene 5 | 24 | ||
| Scene 5 Exercises | 26 | ||
| Act 7 Nim | 29 | ||
| Scene 1 | 29 | ||
| Scene 1 Exercises | 30 | ||
| Scene 2 | 30 | ||
| Scene 2 Exercises | 31 | ||
| Scene 3 | 32 | ||
| Scene 3 Exercises | 33 | ||
| Bouton’s Strategy | 35 | ||
| Act 8 Flit | 37 | ||
| Act 8 Exercises | 38 | ||
| Act 9 Mr Flit | 41 | ||
| Scene 1 | 41 | ||
| Scene 1 Exercises | 42 | ||
| Scene 2 | 42 | ||
| Scene 2 Exercises | 43 | ||
| Act 10 Landis | 47 | ||
| Act 10 Exercises | 48 | ||
| Act 11 Add’em Up | 51 | ||
| Act 11 Exercises | 52 | ||
| Act 12 Connect-the-Dots | 55 | ||
| Act 12 Exercises | 55 | ||
| Act 13 Boxes | 59 | ||
| Act 13 Exercises | 60 | ||
| Act 14 Hold That Line | 65 | ||
| Act 14 Exercises | 66 | ||
| Act 15 The Fifteen Game | 69 | ||
| Act 15 Exercises | 70 | ||
| Act 16 Sliders | 73 | ||
| Act 16 Exercises | 75 | ||
| Act 17 Lynch | 77 | ||
| Act 17 Exercises | 78 | ||
| Act 18 Progression: Down and Up | 81 | ||
| Scene 1: Going Down | 81 | ||
| Scene 1 Exercises | 82 | ||
| Scene 2: Growing Up | 83 | ||
| Scene 2 Exercises | 83 | ||
| Scene 3: Staircase | 85 | ||
| Scene 3 Exercises | 85 | ||
| Act 19 Harder Stuff | 87 | ||
| Scene 1: Nimble | 87 | ||
| Scene 2: Variations of Take Away 1, 2, 3 | 89 | ||
| Scene 3: Blockers | 89 | ||
| Scene 4: Take Away 1, 2, 3 | 90 | ||
| Scene 5: Two Piles 1, 2, 3 | 90 | ||
| Scene 6: Nim | 92 | ||
| Scene 7: Flit | 94 | ||
| Answers | 97 | ||
| Act 1 Blockers | 97 | ||
| Act 2 Nimble | 97 | ||
| Act 3 More Variations | 98 | ||
| Act 4 Take Away 1, 2, 3 | 99 | ||
| Act 5 Two Piles: A Hidden Game | 100 | ||
| Act 6 Two Piles 1, 2, 3 | 100 | ||
| Act 7 Nim | 104 | ||
| Act 8 Flit | 106 | ||
| Act 9 Mr Flit | 107 | ||
| Act 10 Landis | 110 | ||
| Act 11 Add ’em Up | 112 | ||
| Act 12 Connect-the-Dots | 114 | ||
| Act 13 Boxes | 114 | ||
| Act 14 Hold That Line | 116 | ||
| Act 15 The Fifteen Game | 117 | ||
| Act 16 Sliders | 118 | ||
| Act 17 Lynch | 120 | ||
| Act 18 Progression | 120 | ||
| Act 19 Harder Stuff | 123 |