Algebra Games

These activities, from the Association of Teachers of Mathematics (ATM) publication ‘What kind of game is algebra?’ are designed to introduce students to new and sometimes quite difficult concepts in ways that are fun and thought provoking. The games encourage students to work collaboratively as they seek solutions.

Loop games explains how the loop game is played. Students are given cards which they place face-up on the table. Students play a card which obeys the operation on the previous card. The game included in this resource requires students to add and subtract x in which students play the game by adding and subtracting algebraic terms.

Four in a line explains how different versions of the game ‘Four in a Line’ is played. The game included in this resource provides a playing board consisting of algebraic terms in a five by five grid and a picture of a tree containing other algebraic terms. Students choose two terms from the tree and multiply them together or divide one by the other in order to make a term contained on the grid. The first player to obtain four terms in a line is the winner.