This card game is about solving equations. It's a great way to practise solving equations including one step, two step and unknown on both sides. It is for 2-6 players, or you can use the cards as a form of flash cards to give students challenges.
This game contains 4 letters (suits/colours); x, y, a and b. x features the easiest equations and is coloured Red. Then y, which is yellow/orange. Followed by a, which is green. And b features the hardest questions, which are blue. Each suit contains solutions 1-13. This means that the cards in this game emulate traditional playing cards. So, if you know how to play a traditional game of Straight/Standard/Traditional Rummy, the Rules are the similar. The rules we have included are a simplified version, but feel free to adapt the rules to how you see fit. This game also comes with a Working Out Sheet for each player to keep track of their cards and solutions, and an Answer Sheet of all card numbers.
Rules of Play
- Ensure that every player has a copy of the Working Out Sheet.
- Shuffle the deck, mixing up all the cards, and deal out 7 cards per player.
- Place the rest of the deck cards face-down in the centre.
- Players should work out the values of all 7 of their cards now using the Working Out Sheet.- Play begins left of the dealer.
- First, turn over the top card on the deck in the middle to create a visible discard pile.
- Compulsory Draw. Player must pick a card from the discard or deck pile.
- Optional Meld. The player can choose to play (‘meld) a sequence in the middle. - A minimum of three cards are needed to make a sequence.
- Acceptable sequences are as follows:
- The same answer in different letters (suits/colours), e.g. x=3, y=3, a=3.
- Ascending sequences of answers in the same letter (suit/colour), e.g. a=3, a=4, a=5.
- If a player can make a ‘meld’, they don’t have to yet, they can choose to keep it to themselves. - Optional Lay-Off. The player can add cards to existing melds on the table.
- Acceptable Lay-Offs are as follows:
- If x=3, y=3, and a=3 are on the table. A player can add b=3.
- If a=5, a=6 and a=7 are on the table. A player can add a=4 and/or a=8.
- Lay-Offs must continue/complete an existing sequence/meld, and cannot cross.
- e.g. If x=3, y=3, a=3 and b=3 are melded, new melds cannot be built outward from them.
- Compulsory Discard. A player MUST discard one card into the discard pile in the middle.
- Play continues clockwise.
- As players pick up new cards from the discard or deck piles, they can add answers to their sheets. - Players can also use the Working Out Sheet to track cards that are melded on the table.
- The winner is the first person to meld/play ALL of their cards in the middle.
This is a digital product. A download link will be sent to your email address upon purchase and you can then print as many copies as you need to use in your classroom or for home use.
This game is also available as part of our Card Game Bundle Four.
