8 South African Mathematical Games and Puzzles to enjoy this World Maths Day
Today is World Maths Day
Photo taken: 14 February 2016
Mathematical Equation Chocolate Cake from Charly's Bakery in Cape Town
Photo credits to Ziyaad Plaatjes
Originally created to be observed on 14th March (March 14th : 3.14), World Math Day is an international celebration of mathematics created by Mathletics.
There are a variety of mathematical games and puzzles for one to enjoy - whether these activities are part of an educational or competitive setting, or for just plain fun!
Here are some of the Maths Games and Puzzles that we play here in South Africa:
1. Sudoku
A 9x9 grid where you need to fill in digits from 1-9 without repeating a number in the same row or column. This one has been my favourite! It was a considerable amount of years ago when I was first introduced to Sudoku in the newspaper, thereafter my obsession grew into acquiring actual Sudoku books that were possibly 300 pages of just Sudoku puzzles in varying difficult levels! I must admit, my life has become more hectic than usual in the last decade, so I haven't had time to sit down long enough to enjoy doing a Sudoku puzzle.
2. Mathematical Olympiads
The South African Mathematics Olympiad (SAMO) is a popular competition in our country. The students who participate in these competitions prepare by solving math puzzles and engage in logical games. The Olympiad is usually aimed at high school students.
3. 24
This is a Math game where you use 4 numbers that appear on a single card, each only once, and a combination of the mathematical signs (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) to reach the target number of 24.
4. Mental Math Challenges
These are usually practiced in schools or universities. They are mostly puzzles where you would need to solve math problems quickly and accurately, to test your speed, efficiency, and your understanding of mathematical principles.
5. Rummy
Rummy is a group of games where players aim to form sets (three or four of a kind) or runs (three or more consecutive cards of the same suit) and either be the first to accumulate the most points from your opponents, or be the first to discard all your cards.
6. Online Math Puzzles and Apps
While the above mentioned puzzles/ games such as Sudoku, can be played online or on an app, their are also other games like DragonBox, Mathdoku, and Math Puzzles which are available for practice and are often used to make learning mathematics more engaging for younger audiences.
7. Board Games that have the Mathematical Element
It might not be an outright "Math" game, but there are some board games which we play, that involve math strategies to encourage and to enjoy on World Maths Day. One such game that is most widely played in South Africa, is Monopoly. This game involves calculations around money, property, and strategy - putting those mathematical elements to full use!
8. Math Escape Rooms
Whilst I haven't personally experienced any Escape Rooms, they are considerably popular here in South Africa. These rooms often have math-themed puzzles, that require participants to solve a series of interconnected puzzles, many of which involve mathematical reasoning to "escape" within a time a limit.
These games and puzzles play an important role in developing one's problem-solving skills in an enjoyable way.
Have I missed out any popular South African games or puzzles that you like to play, which involves the mathematical elements ?
Nabihah Plaatjes is the Co-Founder of iloveza.com. She is an Award-Winning Entrepreneur, Change Agent, Published Contributing Author, Journalist, Marketing and Social Media Specialist, a Bachelor of Arts graduate, and has been writing since the age of 9. Nabihah has recently been elected as the CEO of the Independent Media Association of South Africa. Nabihah is passionate about Brand Awareness and Brand Loyalty and uses her knowledge in these fields together with her copywriting, editing and proof-reading skills to bring brands to life. iloveza.com is a primary example of how she can build your brand. Find her at: Instagram: @nabihah_dp / @ilovezacom Twitter: @nabihahd / @ilovezacom Facebook: iloveza.com LinkedIn: Nabihah Plaatjes / iloveza.com YouTube: iloveza.com SoundCloud: iloveza.com E-mail: nabihah@iloveza.com
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