# US 5,704,790 A · Methods of playing games which enhance mathematical understanding

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- Number: US 5,704,790 A
- Document ID: US5704790A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/653,616
- Filed: 1996-05-24
- Granted: 1998-01-06
- Earliest claimed: 1995-01-10
- Assignees: Robert P. Moses
- Inventors: Robert Parris Moses; Maisha V. Moses; Tabasuri W. Moses
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5704790A

## CPC

- A63F 3/0457: {concerning science or technology, e.g. geology, chemistry, statistics, computer flow charts, radio, telephone (A63F3/0478 takes precedence; other games concerning science or technology A63F9/0076)}
- G09B 1/00: Manually or mechanically operated educational appliances using elements forming, or bearing, symbols, signs, pictures, or the like which are arranged or adapted to be arranged in one or more particular ways (puzzle-games A63F9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F)
- G09B 1/06: and being attachable to, or mounted on, the support
- G09B 23/02: for mathematics (for statics or dynamics G09B23/08)
- G09B 29/00: Maps; Plans; Charts; Diagrams, e.g. route diagram (star maps G09B27/04; devices for holding or supporting maps A47B97/02; for computing purposes G06G1/14, G09B1/16; display boards G09F)
- A63F 2003/046: {Mathematics}
- A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G09B: EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS (devices for psychotechnics or for testing reaction times A61B5/16; games, sports, amusements A63; projectors, projector screens G03B)

## Abstract

A game for enhancing mathematical skills is played in the a classroom with teams of players or individual players. In accordance with one embodiment, the game utilizes a branched lattice having a central starting point and a plurality of terminal points. The lattice is placed on the floor of a classroom. In playing the game, students select three numbers from a location on the classroom wall and factor those three numbers to find the prime factors of the numbers, which prime factors are then recorded in input/output tables. The tables have an output line or column in which the output value "-1" is written if the number of factors is odd; the output value "0" is written if the output value includes repeated primes, indicating raising a prime to a power; and the output value "+1" is written if the number of prime factors is even. The output values are used to locate the input/output tables, which are on slips of paper, at correct terminal points of the lattice. The path to each of the terminal points comprises three legs of the lattice, with each of the legs being defined by one of the output values "-1," "0" and "+1." A frequency table is provided to retire the number chips in columns in accordance with their output values. In accordance with additional embodiments of the invention, the game is played in combination with a Venn diagram puzzle having color chips which are assembled in accordance with the results of casting color-coded dice. In accordance with still further embodiments of the invention, the lattice is configured as a three-dimensional, color-coded array, with legs extending parallel to one another being of the same color. In accordance with still a further embodiment of the invention, a lattice with there branches has "bumping locations" at the termini of the branches which are used in scoring teams playing the game. The methods of playing the various embodiments of the games preferably employ computer generated graphics and computer programs.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of playing a game that teaches mathematical skills and concepts to students, the method comprising:
factoring input numbers from number chips into prime factors;
organizing the numbers which have been factored into first, second and third groups by assigning output values "-1", "0" and "+1", wherein:
if the number of prime factors are odd, the value "-1" is assigned to the number,
if the prime factors are even in number, the value "+1" is assigned to the number; and
if there are duplicate prime factors indicating that the number has been raised to a power, then the value "0" is assigned to that number;
organizing the input numbers into tables which include individual input numbers, the prime factors thereof, and the output values of "-1", "+1" and "0";
applying the numbers to a location on a lattice, wherein the lattice has legs arranged in sets of three wherein the legs are identified by the expressions "+1", "-1" and "0" with the input numbers being placed at termini of the legs in accordance with whether the value assigned to the input number is "-1", "0" or "+1"; and
retiring output numbers to a frequency table, wherein the output numbers are organized in the frequency table according to the values "-1", "0" and "+1".

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the students are organized in teams and each student selects a plurality of input numbers to factor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the teams simultaneously select their input numbers to be factored.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the students select the input numbers to be factored in relay teams.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the lattice is organized into a plurality of legs with starting and terminal points, the legs branching from a central point and each terminus in sets of threes and being identified by the designations "-1", "0" and "+1", wherein paths are defined by legs having the same "-1", "0" and "+1" designations and wherein the game is won by students who capture the most paths back to the starting point.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further including dice for generating the input numbers, wherein the dice have faces of various colors which have been assigned prime numbers.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising using a Venn diagram with three areas which have portions that mutually overlap, the areas having the same colors as the colors on the die with the overlapping areas having colors created by the mixtures of the colors on the die and wherein the areas are assigned prime factors which are also assigned to the faces of the die in accordance with the color of the faces.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the lattice is a three-dimensional lattice having legs which extend in the X, Y and Z directions from nodes which are repeated in the lattice out to terminal points of the lattice.

### Claim 9

A method of playing a game, that teaches mathematical skills and concepts to students organized into teams, the method comprising:
a player selecting a variable value by chance from a preselected number of variable values;
recording the variable value on a chart;
identifying a path on a multi-path display which corresponds to the variable value;
determining if the variable value selected by chance is correctly recorded and if the path selected corresponds to the variable value selected;
entering a location at the terminus of the path; and
awarding points to the player according to whether the location is unoccupied, occupied by a member of another team or occupied by a member of the same team.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of tallying the variable values to determine frequency distribution thereof and awarding points for correct frequency determinations.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the variable values are selected from color coded faces of a die, the color-coded faces of the die matching colors of the paths.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

A method of claim 11, wherein there are three colors on the faces of the die, three colors corresponding to the expressions "x", "y" and "z".

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein students are organized into two teams and further including the step of signing a variable value to the colors prior to selecting the variable value by chance.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further including the step of regulating the time that each player has to make a decision as to the path to select as a result of selecting the variable value by chance.