6-8 Math Card Games

24 can be played individually or with a group.  Click here to visit their website and learn to play! You can also download instructions in English or Spanish.

Object of the Game:

• Object is to collect all the cards in the deck.
• 2 players

Card Notes:

• Red cards are negative.
• Black cards are positive.
• Aces = 1, Jacks = 11, Queens = 12, Kings = 13
• Multiple decks can be used

How to Play:

1. Divide the cards into even piles for each player.
2. Each player turns one card over in their pile.
3. The player with the greater value card wins both cards.
4. Play continues until one player has all of the cards.
5. In case of a tie (same value), each player then turns over two cards. The second card's value is used to determine the winner of the cards played.

Variations:

• Adding / Subtracting Integers
  • Before the game begins, decide if you are going to add or subtract.
  • Each player turns over TWO cards and adds (or subtracts) their values. 
  • *If subtracting, keep the order consistent (left card minus right card). 
• Fraction Face-Off:
  • Students deal two cards - a numerator and denominator - then determine whose fraction is the largest. 
  • The winner keeps all four cards, and play continues until the cards are gone. 
• Independent Play

Object of the Game:

• Object is to make a number sentence that is equal to the target number.
• 2-5 players

Card Notes:

• Aces = 1
• Jacks = 11
• Queens = 12
• Kings = 13

How to Play:

1. One person selects a target number from 1-30.
2. One of the players will turn five cards from the deck face up.
3. All players work to make a number sentence using all five cards (and any operations) to reach the target number. 
4. For example, suppose the target number is 20 and the cards in play are 5, 5, 6, 2, and Ace. One winning combination is 5 x 2 + 5 + 6 - 1 = 20. Another is (6 x 5) - (2 x 5 x 1). Also, (6 / 2) x 5 + (5 x 1) works, as do many more. 
5. The first player to find a winning combination keeps the cards and chooses the next target number.
6. If no combination is found in about a minute, flip over another card and try to make a combination using six cards. 
7. Play ends when all the cards have been used. 

Object of the Game:

• Object is to have the hand closest to zero

Card Notes:

• Red cards are negative

• Black cards are positive

• Aces = 1, Jacks = 11, Queens = 12, Kings = 13

Steps for playing

1. One student in the group is the dealer and deals 4 cards to each player in the group. 

2. After dealing, turn the card on the top of the deck face up next to the pile. This will serve as the discard pile.

3. Play begins to the dealer's left. This player can either take the top card on the discard pile or from the top of the deck. This player MUST keep this card and discard a card from their hand. 

4. Play continues with the next player until all players have picked and discarded four times.

5. Player with a score of zero or the closest to zero wins the round. 

Object of the Game:

• Object is to find two cards with a product that is in the "zone."
• 2-4 Players

Card Notes:

• Aces = 1
• Jacks = 11
• Queens = 12
• Kings = 13

How to Play:

1. Each player is dealt 10 cards. The remaining cards are piled in the center.
2. After dealing, turn the card on the top of the deck face up next to the pile. Multiply this card's number by 10: this sets the lower bound of the "zone" for this hand. The zone ranges from this number, to this number plus 9. 
3. For example, suppose the card that is flipped is a 4. It is multiplied by 10, creating a product of 40. The zone for this hand is now 40-49.
4. Each player looks at their own decks to find two numbers that are in the same "zone." If a player has two cards that can be multiplied to create a product in that zone, they can remove those cards from their deck. 
5. Continue play by flipping the next card, finding the new zone, and finding any pairs of cards that multiply to create a product in the zone.
6. Whoever runs out of cards first, wins!