Math Game Monday: Fraction Product Game

This game helps students master multiplying and dividing fractions.

Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s play some math!

Fraction Product Game

Math Concepts: multiplying fractions, equivalent fractions.
Players: two, or two teams.
Equipment: printed game board, colored markers or a set of matching tokens for each player, two glass gemstones or other small tokens to mark the factors.

The free 44-page PDF Multiplication & Fraction Printables file includes traditional and spiral forms for each of the Product Games.

How to Play

The first player places a stone on any one of the factors at the bottom of the board. The second player places the other stone on a factor — the same or different — and then marks the product of those two numbers by coloring the square or placing a token.

On each succeeding turn, a player moves just one stone to a new number and then marks the product of those two factors. If both players agree that all possible moves have already been colored in, the player whose turn it is may make a fresh start by moving both stones.

Whichever player marks four (or more) squares in a row — horizontally, vertically, or diagonally — wins the game. The squares must touch each other at edges or corners, with no gaps. If neither player can make four in a row, then the player who has the most sets of three in a row wins.

History

Have you figured out yet how much I love John Golden’s blog? About this game, Golden writes:

“I launched the game by playing me vs. the class. Re-emphasizing that you only get to change one factor at a time, the goal is to get four in a row, and the new idea that there are equivalent fractions. If you multiply and get 6/12, you can cover 1/2, and vice versa.

“Then the students played pair vs. pair. At the end we summarized by discussing what they noticed about the game, and what they thought made for a good strategy.

“I did point out to them that someone would tell them fraction division was hard, but they’ve already done it when they’re figuring what to multiply 3/4 by to get 6/12.”