Using the first nine cards from any suit (let the Ace represent one) can you arrange them in a 3x3 square so that the sum of the three cards in any row, column and diagonal are the same?
Here are some other challenges: Can you arrange the cards in a 3x3 square such that:
- none of the sums of the three cards in any row, column and diagonal are the same?
- the sum of the three numbers in each row and each column is a prime number;
- the three 3-digit numbers formed in the rows add up to 999;
Solutions to these puzzles are available to those who have a Transum Subscription and are signed in.
You can try similar activities which are online and interactive:
Magic Square -
Unmagic Square -
Prime Square -
Nine Nine Nine -
Square and Even
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Do you have any wonderful ideas for using playing cards to help learn mathematics? Please share your ideas here. Playing cards have been around since the ninth century. They were invented in China and spread across Europe in the fourteenth century. Though the designs on the cards have changed over the years the basic number properties have not. Because they are so popular the manufacture of high quality cards is not expensive and makes them an ideal tool for learning mathematics. |
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SuggestedPrime Pairs Game A game for two players who take turns to select two numbers that add up to a prime number. |
SuggestedSuperior A game for two players who compete to make the largest possible number from randomly selected cards. |
SuggestedManifest An exciting and thought-provoking number placing game for two players or one player versus the computer. |
SuggestedNevertheless Players decide where to place the cards to make an equation with the largest possible solution. |
SuggestedFifteen A strategy game. Play against the computer to select three numbers that add up to 15. |
SuggestedSquare Pairs Game A game for two players who take turns to select two numbers that add up to a square number. |
Ann Mason, Kingsmead School Derby
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
"NUMBER BONDS TO TEN
Remove all 10, j, q, k cards from a pack of cards.
Pupil turns over cards to create 8 separate piles.
Pairs of cards can be covered, with new cards from the pack, if the two numbers add up to 10. (Ace is taken as 1)
The aim is to get rid of all the cards - not always possible, but they soon learn to recognise the number bonds.
Could be timed to create competition as they get more confident."