The term mathematics has Greek origin, and its translation is something like “that which can be learned”. Its objective is to study quantities and shapes, and it has a way, that is, a unique and proper language of representation.
Another translation for the word mathematics, but in a more technical and specific way, is the study of variations, structures, space and quantity.
The oldest records are as old as human history, to give you an idea they date back to 2400 BC Mathematicians defend the idea that this science was developed to solve problems related to everyday life.
Despite being fascinating, many people still have difficulty learning or getting involved with this science, for this reason, every day more math games are launched virtually, to help those who do not understand it, and to make those who already know it even more fascinated. love. Check out all about free online math games!
What are math games?
The word game comes from the Latin, joco, in which its meaning is related to the translation as mockery or joke, however, it is used in place of the Latin word ludus, which means game, fun, joke or pastime.
More and more children, young people and even adults are looking for free online games as a form of entertainment, and that is why more and more has been invested in this market.
Math games therefore aim to solve problems in a playful way through concepts that can be applied in our daily lives. Therefore, these games have the ability to involve the player in a playful, fun way, however, with mathematical teaching behind its logic, making it more attractive and educational.
8 math games
1. 2048
2048 is a math game involving logical reasoning, in which your objective is to move the numbered tiles in a grid, combining them and forming a tile with the number 2048.
Created in 2014, 2048 has become the most downloaded math game in the world. Its classic version is played on a 4×4 board, with numerical pieces that move smoothly when the player moves them using the four arrows.
Each time, a new number randomly appears in an empty spot on the board with a value of 2 or 4. Blocks slide as far as possible in the chosen direction until they are stopped by either another block or the edge of the board.
If two tiles of the same number collide while moving, they will merge into a tile with the full value of the two tiles that collided. The resulting piece cannot merge with another piece again in the same move. Blocks with a higher score emit a soft glow.
2. Tower of Hanoi
The Tower of Hanoi is a math game considered a puzzle, in which it has a base with three pegs, one of which is arranged in some disks, always in increasing order of size, and always from top to bottom.
The resolution of the problem in this math game consists of transferring all the disks from one peg to another, using one of the three pegs as auxiliaries, that way no smaller disk is under a larger one. This is the main rule of the game!
The number of discs can increase according to its degree of difficulty, for example, to solve a Hanoi with 4 discs, 15 moves are needed, while to solve a Hanoi with 64 discs, 18,446,744,073,709,551,615 moves are needed.
Currently, this math game is not only used with elementary and high school students, but also in psychological tests and in companies to assess working memory capacity, planning and problem solving.
3. Rubik’s Cube
The Rubik’s Cube or Rubik’s Cube is another math game also in puzzle format, but in this case it is three-dimensional and was created in 1974, it is considered a challenge even today by those passionate about math games .
The magic cube is made of plastic and has several versions, always increasing the degree of difficulty, the 3x3x3 version is the best known, which is composed of 6 faces with 6 different colors, but there are other versions, such as 2x2x2, 4x4x4 and 5x5x5.
Although it was developed in the 1970s and was a craze in the 1980s, even today the Rubik’s Cube is a math game considered one of the most popular toys in the world. It is believed that there are more than 900 million units sold in its various versions.
4. Tangram
Tangram is another math game in the form of puzzles of Chinese origin and composed of 7 pieces, and these pieces have the same format regardless of the figure that is intended to be formed . The pieces are: 2 large triangles, 2 small, 1 medium, 1 square and 1 parallelogram.
According to the Encyclopedia of Tangram, it is possible to assemble more than 5,000 figures with these 7 pieces without overlapping them. This game is a classic used by geometry teachers, because it is considered to facilitate the understanding of geometric shapes, making the study of geometry easier.
5. Ouri
Ouri is a math game from the family of mancala games, which are board games. This math game is often also called a sowing game or a catch and count game.
It was designed for two players on a board consisting of 12 squares and 48 pieces. The biggest difference from the traditional mancala is that in this one you don’t put stones in the “eaten stones” mancala of the players. Only when the last stone thrown lands on the opponent’s side and there are 2 or 3 stones left in that square can it be picked up. In that case, all the stones in squares before that one are also collected, provided they are 2 or 3.