+Two Dice Bingo+

A fun game for the whole class to play requiring strategies based on probablilty.

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Instructions

Make your own bingo card using the same format as the one above. It can easily be sketched in your exercise book or you could print these Two Dice Bingo Cards. Select your own numbers to go on the card.

If you are in a class you can play against your classmates. If you are alone you can play against the computer.

For the whole class game, when everyone has made a card the teacher begins the game by rolling the dice. Each person should cross a number off their card if it matches the total of the two dice. The first person to cross off all ten of their numbers should call out 'Bingo' and they are declared the winner.

The strategy for this game is to choose numbers which will get crossed off before anyone else has called out 'Bingo'. You may repeat a number on your card as many times as you wish but you can only cross off one instance of that number each time it appears as a total. Is it wise to fill your bingo card with the most likely total or should you aim for a selection of numbers?

The computer has chosen numbers for the card above but the dice are quite fair and will generate random numbers unknown to the computer in advance.

This activity can be developed by constructing a table showing the possibility spaces for addition, subtraction and multiplication of the numbers on two dice.

There are more online probability activities to spice up your Maths lessons.

See also Maths Bingo for a numeracy practice game.

Extension: If 7 is the total that is most likely to occur when adding the numbers on two dice together, why is filling your bingo cards with sevens not the best strategy?

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This web site contains over a thousand free mathematical activities for teachers and pupils. Click here to go to the main page which links to all of the resources available.

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Comment recorded on the 1 February 'Starter of the Day' page by M Chant, Chase Lane School Harwich:

"My year five children look forward to their daily challenge and enjoy the problems as much as I do. A great resource - thanks a million."

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"We all love your starters. It is so good to have such a collection. We use them for all age groups and abilities. Have particularly enjoyed KIM's game, as we have not used that for Mathematics before. Keep up the good work and thank you very much
Best wishes from Inger Kisby"

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Dalia, Italy

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

"I love this!! What a great idea! I will write again after using it with my classes."

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