US 6,648,648 B1Granted

Instructional mathematics board game

OwnerElena O'Connellinventor

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Abstract

An educational game for teaching mathematics has a game board with a continuous play path along its edge. Spaces are labeled with a mathematical category and a monetary amount. Each mathematical category has its own deck of cards with questions, answers and explanations. At least one of the spaces of the game board is labeled with the help category. When a player lands on this space they receive a help card, which permits that player to ask another player for help in solving a question. The game is played by moving a marker along the play path. If the marker stops on a space that has a mathematical category the player selects corresponding card. If the player's solution to the question and answer on the card match the player collects play money in the amount printed on the space. If not, play proceeds to the next player and the first player continues to work on the question, giving that player the ability to self-correct. All solutions may be collected as an assignment by a teacher in a classroom setting. The first player to accumulate a specified amount of play money is the winner.

Claims15

Dependent claims

An educational game for teaching mathematics, comprising:

a game board;
a continuous peripheral play path disposed on said game board and divided into a plurality of contiguous spaces;
a plurality of mathematical categories wherein one of said plurality of mathematical categories is randomly assigned and printed, along with a monetary amount and a room number, on a majority of said plurality of contiguous spaces;
a plurality of individual game markers, wherein each of said plurality of individual game markers identifies a player and marks that player's location on an individual space of said plurality of contiguous spaces of said game board;
a random number generator for determining the number of plurality of contiguous spaces said plurality of individual game markers move during play;
a plurality of card decks, wherein each of said plurality of card decks corresponds to one of said plurality of mathematical categories;
a plurality of question/answer cards in each of said plurality of card decks, wherein each of said plurality of question/answer cards has a front side, a back side, and on which is printed a question, an answer, and an explanation relating to one of said plurality of mathematical categories, and wherein said answer and said explanation can only be viewed after each said plurality of question/answer cards is manipulated by the player;
play money for a player to receive for correctly solving said question on one of said plurality of question/answer card;
a help category labeled on at least one of said plurality of contiguous spaces of said game board;
and
a deck of help cards labeled with said help category, wherein each help card in said deck of help cards permits the player to ask another player for help in solving said question on one of said plurality of question/answer cards.

8 more elements

A method of playing an educational game for teaching mathematics comprising the following steps:

providing a game board having a continuous peripheral play path divided into a plurality of contiguous spaces, with a majority of said plurality of contiguous spaces labeled with a mathematical category and monetary amount;
actuating a random number generation means for determining the number of said plurality of contiguous spaces for a player to move their marker;
selecting a question/answer card relating to said mathematical category listed on one of said plurality of contiguous spaces, when that player's marker stops, after being advanced, on one of said plurality of contiguous spaces labeled with said mathematical category;
reading a question from said question/answer card;
offering an initial solution to said question on said question/answer card;
manipulating said question/answer card so that an answer printed on said question/answer card is revealed;
comparing said initial solution to said answer provided on said question/answer card;
collecting play money in said amount printed on one of said plurality of contiguous spaces when said initial solution matches said answer provided on said question/answer card;
selecting a help card when that player's marker stops on one of said plurality of contiguous spaces labeled with a help category;
and
using said help card to ask another player for help in solving said question, if the player is unable to find the solution to said question on their own;
wherein play continues to the next player after the original player has completed the action required by the one of said plurality of contiguous spaces their marker stopped on, and wherein the play of the game is terminated when a player accumulates a specified amount of play money.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/154,174Filed 23 May 2002
Granted: 18 Nov 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

A63F 3/0415
Geographical or like games ; Educational games: number games
G09B 19/02
Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass: counting; Calculating
A63F 2003/00018
Board games played along a linear track, e.g. game of goose, snakes and ladders, along an endless track: played along an endless track
A63F 2003/046
Concerning science or technology, e.g. geology, chemistry, statistics, computer flow charts, radio, telephone: mathematics