Long, long ago, in a school district far, far away, I used to teach math as a substitute teacher. I noticed that students seemed to have trouble with variables—symbols like x or y or n that could stand for the missing number in a number sentence, the answer to an equation. If I could come up with a game or puzzle to help them learn the concept, it might help them.

I remembered a contest in GAMES magazine (November-December 1979) where trivia answers were number-variables that would fit into a giant equation. I didn’t win the contest, but it helped me create MATHATRIVIA.

Here’s an example:

BEARS

+ SEESAW

GOLDEN RINGS

That doesn’t make much sense, does it? But, if you substituted numbers for the words or phrases, it might make more sense.

BEARS—Is there a number you think of when you think of bears? How about “Goldilocks and the THREE Bears?” Aha!

SEESAW—What number goes with a seesaw? How many kids at a time? “TWO for the Seesaw.” Ohh!

GOLDEN RINGS—In “The Twelve Days of Christmas” song, there are FIVE Golden Rings! Ahhh!

Now, put them together:

BEARS 3

+ SEESAW + 2

GOLDEN RINGS 5

Supplies

Pencil or pen, and paper - OR - a computer with a word-processing program

A list of number-clues

and

Your Brain

Step 1: Be a Variable Star

I started by putting together a list of words and phrases that could stand for numbers. For instance, when you see BLIND MICE, what number does it make you think of? 3? THREE BLIND MICE! Of course! Some numbers have a lot of things you would associate with them -- phrases, book titles, songs, athlete uniform numbers -- some have one or two, and some don't have any . . . any that I can think of.

I've attached a list. Some of them are ones you will think of with no problem, while others seem easy to me because I'm old. You may think of some that I didn't, which is OK. If you want to add any to the list, put them in the Comment section.

MATHATRIVIA VARIABLES.pdf
Download

Step 2: Samples to Try

Here are some basic -- and not-so-basic -- Mathatrivia problems you can try. The first five are simple arithmetic problems (add, subtract, multiply, divide).

The next group are algebraic equations, the kind you see online that get people yelling at each other and name-calling. What the trouble is: some people think like people, and some people think like mathematicians. Take this problem --

4 + 3 x 7

A "people" person would say "4 plus 3 is 7, 7 times 7 is 49."

A "mathematician" person would say "Multiplication and division are a higher order than addition and subtraction, so we multiply 3 times 7 first. That's 21. Now we add the 4 to get 25."

If there are parentheses in the problem, mathematicians do anything inside the parentheses first. Since these are Math problems, forget what the "people" people say, Be a "mathematician" person. Speak Math.

MATHATRIVIA – SOLVE THIS

1.

APOSTLES + SEAS = COVID

2.

COMMANDMENTS x CALLING BIRDS = THIEVES

3.

QUINCEANERA - CAT LIVES = CUBE SIDES

4.

CANDLES - UNLUCKY = MUSKETEERS

5.

FEBRUARY DAYS = LUCKY

CALLING BIRDS

6.

SQUARE SIDES + TRIANGLE SIDES x DAYS IN A WEEK = QUARTER CENTS

7.

MUSKETEERS x (SHEPHERD PSALM - UNLUCKY) = APRIL DAYS

8.

RING TO RULE THEM ALL + DUET x OCTOPUS ARMS - SWANS A-SWIMMING = EGYPTIAN PLAGUES

ANSWERS

12 + 7 = 19
10 x 4 = 40
15 - 9 = 6
16 - 13 = 3
28 / 4 = 7
4 + 3 x 7 = 25
3 x (23 - 13) = 30
1 + 2 x 8 - 7 = 10

Step 3: Make Your Own

To create your own Mathatrivia problems, there are two ways to put them together--

A. Start with an equation

or

B. Start with a trivia clue.

Step 4: The Equation - Method A

If we start with an equation like--

(9 + 6) x 4 = 60

It has to be turned into variable clues. If we look up those numbers--

9 = LADIES DANCING

6 = HEXAGON

4 = APRIL ORDER (January is 1, April is __)

60 = HOUR'S MINUTES (not on the list, but it would fit)

which becomes

(LADIES DANCING + HEXAGON) x APRIL ORDER = HOUR'S MINUTES

Step 5: The Clue - Method B

If we start with a clue like--

LUFTBALLOONS (the song "99 Luftballoons"--also known as "99 Red Balloons")

we look for clues that go with 99.

CAT LIVES = 9

PIPERS PIPING = 11

Put them together, and 99 / 11 = 9

becomes

LUFTBALLOONS / PIPERS PIPING = CAT LIVES

Step 6: For Teachers (or Sneaky Friends)

The Mathatrivia problems used so far include the answer as a variable clue. To use Mathatrivia in a class as a quiz or bonus question, you can increase the difficulty by not including the answer clue. The goal becomes to figure out the answer while being "clueless;" the problem can't be solved by working backward from the answer clue.

Mathatrivia can be used as a game among friends, and you can laugh while you watch them struggle.

Step 7: Just One More

Just for the giggles, here's one more Mathatrivia problem. If you can solve it, put the answer in the Comment section.

US STATES + (TURTLE DOVES x APOLLO PROBLEM) = ????

TROMBONES

(This Instructable was entered in the Puzzles and Games contest 2024)

Introduction: Mathatrivia