Objective
Students will develop a winning strategy for this simple math game.
This very old game requires no supplies, but I recommend students use paper and pencil so they can review their game later.
- Both players add to a shared total.
- The shared total starts at 0.
- On their turn, a player may add from 1 to 10 to the shared total.
- The first player to reach 100 first.
Sample Game
- Total starts at 0.
- Player 1: Adds 10, total is 10.
- Player 2: Adds 7, total is 17.
- P1: Adds 8, total is 25.
- [time passes], total is at 75.
- P1: Adds 10, total is 85.
- P2: Adds 6, total is 91. π
- P1: Adds 9, total is 100, Player wins!
The key moment to have students analyze is denoted with π. Player 2 made a critical error, which guaranteed a loss. What could Player 2 have done differently to guarantee a win?
For more information, see The Game of 100 on Wikipedia
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