Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
r.
DICE GAME FOR LEARNING MULTIPLICATION TABLES
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a
learning aid and, more particularly, to a game
device for assisting children in learning arithmetic
calculations, especially multiplication tables.
2. Description of the Prior Art
United States Patent No. 2,871,581 issued
on February 3, 1959 to Guzak discloses a
multiplication chart or game board, individual game
pieces adapted to be disposed on the game board
squares, and means for determining at random the
multiplier and the multiplicand of a product. Each
game piece comprises on its upper surface a
multiplier and a multiplicand, whereas the result of
this multiplication, that is the product of the
multiplier and multiplicand of this upper surface,
appears on a lower surface of the game piece, this
lower surface being hidden when the game piece is
disposed on the game board. Therefore, players use
various means, such as numbered wheels or dice for
determining the two numbers to be multiplied. When
two numbers have been chosen at random, the player
must locate on the game board the game piece which
corresponds to the multiplier and multiplicand drawn
and the player must then provide the product thereof
before removing the appropriate game piece from the
game board for revealing the proper answer.
United States Patent No. 5,176,381 issued
on January 5, 1993 to Winters teaches first and
second sets of dice, the first set including
numerical values on its faces, with the second set
of dice including on its faces various arithmetic
signs, such as the plus, minus, multiplication and
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division signs. The first set of dice includes one
more die than the second set of dice. The two sets
of dice are released on a plane surface and the
individual die members of the first and second sets
5 are then positioned in an alternating pattern with a
view of obtaining a maximum value when the
mathematical operations are performed on the array.
United States Patent No. 4,114,290 issued
on September 19, 1978 to Cooper discloses an
10 arithmetic dice game also used for aiding children
in learning their multiplication tables. The game
surface is perforated with holes in order to receive
therein various pegs which correspond to a correct
answer resulting from a mathematical operation using
15 two numbers disposed opposite the peg, the two
numbers corresponding to values obtained at random
from a pair of dice provided in a shaker with the
shaker further enclosing a third die onto which
appear the various arithmetic signs.
20 The following United States Patents all
disclose various other learning aids or devices
intended for aiding children in their arithmetic
and, in most cases, in their learning of
multiplication tables (or other arithmetic
25 operations): U.S. Patent No. 2,901,839 issued on
September 1, 1959 to Huff, U.S. Patent No. 2,839,844
issued on June 24, 1958 to Lehnkering, U.S. Patent
No. 2,748,500 issued on June 5, 1956 to Cormack,
U.S. Patent Na. 5,098,301 issued on March 24, 1992
30 to Woods, and U.S. Patent No. 3,314,168 issued on
April 18, 1967 to Heckman.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an aim of the present
invention to provide a game that aids children in
35 learning their multiplication tables.
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It is also an aim of the present invention
to provide a game which involves some strategy when
applying a product resulting from a multiplication
on a score sheet.
It is a further aim of the present
invention to provide a game which also aids in the
learning of additions.
Therefore, in accordance with the present
invention, there is provided a game device for
aiding in the learning of certain mathematical
operations comprising a score keeping means for at
least two players, said score keeping means
including a series of numbers and, for each of the
players, at least one blank space associated with
each of said numbers, number selection means for
providing at least first and second numbers, said
first and second numbers belonging to said series of
numbers, whereby, for each said first and second
numbers obtained by way of said number selection
means, one of the players must perform a
predetermined mathematical operation involving said
first and second numbers so as to obtain a result,
said result being placed by said one player in a
blank space corresponding to one of said first and
second numbers and belonging to said one player on
said score keeping means, wherein the players take
turns in determining the result for each different
set of said first and second numbers obtained by way
of said number selection means and in placing each
said result on said score keeping means always in a
blank space associated with one of said first and
second numbers until each of the blank spaces of one
player is occupied by a result.
More specifically, the number selection
means comprise four six-faced dice means each
bearing numeral representation means for the numbers
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1 to 6, and wherein, after random deployment of said
dice means, said four dice means are grouped into
first and second pairs of dice means, the numeral
representation means being added by a respective
player within each of said first and second pairs
for producing two sums corresponding to a multiplier
and a multiplicand, said multiplier and multiplicand
being multiplied by said respective player so as to
obtain a product, said product being inserted by
said respective player in one of said respective
player's blank spaces of said score keeping means
corresponding to one of said multiplier and
multiplicand, Said four dice means being grouped in
as many of said first and second pairs as possible
so as to obtain, for a same deployment of said four
dice means, as many different products as possible
for insertion in said score keeping means.
Also in accordance with the present
invention, there is provided a method of playing a
game for aiding in the learning of certain
mathematical operations which comprises:
a) a first player obtains at least first
and second numbers, said first and second numbers
belonging to a series of numbers provided on a score
keeping means adapted for at least two players and
including for each player at least one blank space
associated with each of the numbers of said series;
b) the first player performs a
predetermined mathematical operation involving said
first and second numbers so as to obtain a result;
c) the first player places said result in
a blank space corresponding to one of said first and
second numbers and belonging to said first player on
said score keeping means;
wherein the players take turns in determining the
result for each different set of said first and
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second numbers and in placing each said result on
said score keeping means always in a blank space
associated with one of said first and second numbers
until each of the blank spaces of one player is
occupied by a result.
In a more specific method in accordance
with the present invention, said first and second
numbers are obtained in step a) by way of a number
selection means comprising four six-faced dice means
each bearing numeral representation means for the
numbers 1 to 6; wherein, in a step a') performed
before step b) and after random deployment of said
dice means in step a), said four dice means are
grouped into first and second pairs of dice means,
the numeral representation means being added by a
respective player within each of said first and
second pairs for producing two sums corresponding to
a multiplier and a multiplicand, said multiplier and
multiplicand being multiplied in step b) by said
respective player so as to obtain a product, said
product being inserted in step c) by said respective
player in one of said respective player's blank
spaces of said score keeping means corresponding to
one of said multiplier and multiplicand; steps a'),
b) and c) being repeated as long as said four dice
means can be grouped in different first and second
pairs so as to obtain, for a same deployment of said
four dice means, as many different products as
possible for insertion in said score keeping means.
Also in accordance with the present
invention, there is provided a game device
comprising a score keeping means for at least two
players, said score keeping means including a series
of numbers and at least one blank space associated
with each of said numbers, number selection means
for providing at least first and second numbers,
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said first and second numbers belonging to said
series of numbers, the blank spaces defining a
series of categories each comprising at least one of
said blank spaces, whereby, for each said first and
second numbers obtained by way of said number
selection means, one of the players appropriates one
of the blank spaces associated with one of said
first and second numbers or with a result obtained
from said first and second numbers, wherein, for
each different. set of said first and second numbers
obtained by way of said number selection means, the
players take turns in appropriating remaining blank
spaces associated with one of said first and second
numbers or with a result obtained therefrom, first
scoring means being provided for awarding each
category to at most one player, and second scoring
means being provided for determining a winner on the
basis of the categories awarded to each player by
way of said first scoring means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Having thus generally described the nature
of the invention, reference will now be made to the
accompanying drawings, showing by way of
illustration a preferred embodiment thereof, and in
which:
Fig. 1 is a schematical plan view of a
score sheet for use with the dice game of the
present invention;
Fig. 2 is an isometric view of one of the
four dice used with the score sheet of Fig. 1 in the
dice game of the present invention;
Figs. 3 and 4 are schematical views of two
different arrangements of the four dice of the
present invention; and
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Fig. 5 is a schematical plan view of a
different score sheet for use with a variant of the
dice game of the present invention.
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A
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In accordance with the present invention,
Fig. 1 illustrates a score sheet S used with four
standard dice D, one such dice D being illustrated
in Fig. 2, in the dice game of the present invention
which is intended to assist children in the learning
of their multiplication tables in a way that is
interesting arid fun. In the present dice game, a
plurality of score sheets S can be detachably
provided on a pad (not shown), in a well known
manner.
The score sheet S of Fig. 1 is intended
for two players but could be modified in order to
accommodate more than two players. Also, if there
are more than two players, more than one score sheet
S can be used for the same game.
Each die D defines six faces having the
numbers 1 to 6 thereon. In the die D of Fig. 2, the
numbers are represented by indented concave
circular-shaped elements, in a well known manner.
The score sheet S comprises a central
column 10 on which appear the numbers "2" to "12" in
order, from top to bottom. On each side of the
central column 10, at least one blank box 12 is
provided opposite each of the numbers "2" to "12" of
the central column 10. In Fig. 1, there is one
blank box 12 on each side of the numbers "2", "3",
"11" and "12" of the central column 10; a pair of
blank boxes 12 are provided on each side of the
numbers "4" and "10" of the central column 10; three
blank boxes 12 are provided on each side of the
numbers "5" and "9" of the central column 10; four
blank boxes 12 are provided on each side of the
numbers "6" and "8" of the central column 10; and
five blank boxes 12 are provided on each side of the
number "7" of the central column 10. The blank
boxes 12 at the right of the central column 10
belong to one player, whereas the blank boxes 12
located at the left of the central column 10 belong
to another player. The object of the game is for
one player to fill his respective blank boxes 12
with numbers obtained by way of the four dice D, in
a way explained in details hereinbelow, before the
other player completes the filling of his respective
blank boxes 12.
To play the game, one after the other, the
players roll the four dice D which, after each roll
of the dice, are positioned in the way illustrated
in Figs. 3 and 4. The four dice D are thus
positioned along a square configuration thereby
defining two rows of two dice each, two columns of
two dice each and two diagonals of two dice each.
The dice D are then grouped in pairs, and the dice
within each pair are added which results in two
numbers for each groupings which can then be
multiplied to produce a product to be inserted later
on the score sheet S.
For example, with reference to Fig. 3, the
dice D which comprise dice 14, 16, 18 and 20, are
first grouped in two horizontal pairs, that is a
first pair including the dice 14 and 16 and a second
pair comprising the dice 18 and 20. When added, the
upper pair of dice 14 and 16 totals "4"
(i.e. "1" + "3"), while the lower pair of dice 18
and 20 totals "9" (i.e. "5" + "4"). The two numbers
resulting from the additions, that is "4" and "9",
represent a multiplier and a multiplicand which are
then multiplied by the player and the result "36" is
then inserted on the player's side of the score
sheet S of Fig. 1 and, more particularly, in any one
of the blank boxes 12 belonging to this player which
lies opposite either one of the two numbers which
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were multiplied, that is either one of the
multiplier and multiplicand "4" and "9". Therefore,
in the case of the roll of dice of Fig. 3, the first
player can position the product "36" either opposite
the number "4" found in the central column 10 or
opposite the number "9" thereof. Since the
possibility of obtaining the number "4" as a
multiplier or multiplicand is lower than that for
the number "9", the product "36" will probably be
inserted opposite the number "4" of the central
column 10, as illustrated in Fig. 3.
With the same roll of the dice, the dice D
are then grouped in vertical pairs, with the left
pair of dice 14 and 18 yielding an addition result
of "5" (i.e. "1" + "5"), while the right pair of
dice 16 and 20 yields the addition result of "7"
(i.e. "3" + "4"). The product resulting from the
multiplier "6" and the multiplicand "7" equals "42"
whereby the number "42" is inserted still on the
first player's side of the score sheet S opposite
either one of the numbers "6" or "7" of the central
column 10.
Finally, the dice D of Fig. 3 are grouped
diagonally in pairs which results in a multiplier of
"5", that is the addition of the dice 14 and 20, and
a multiplicand of "8", that is the addition of the
dice 16 and 18. The product "5 x 8" equals "40",
and the number "40" is positioned in a blank box 12
located opposite either one of the numbers "5" and
"8" of the central column 10 of the score sheet S.
In Fig. 1, the three products which result
from the roll of dice of Fig. 3 have been inserted
on the first player's side of the score sheet S,
that is on the left of the central column 10. In
this case, the first result "36" has been inserted
in a blank box 12 located opposite the multiplier
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"4", the second result "42" has been inserted in a
blank box 12 located opposite the number "6",
whereas the final product 40 has been inserted
opposite the number "5".
Then, it is the other player's turn to
roll the four dice D and a possible roll of the dice
D is illustrated in Fig. 4 for this second player
which has to f ill the blank boxes 12 located on the
right hand side of the central column 10 of the
score sheet S of Fig. 1.
With the roll of dice of Fig . 4 , the four
dice D include dice 22, 24, 26 and 28. These dice
22 to 28, when grouped in horizontal pairs, produce
the additions "1 + 1" and "1 + 3" and thus the
multiplier "2" and the multiplicand "4". The
product resulting from this horizontal grouping is
therefore "8", that is "2 x 4". The number "8" is
then inserted on the right-hand side of the central
column 10 of the score sheet S of Fig. 1 opposite
either one of the numbers "2" and "4". In this
case, the second player has chosen to position the
product "8" in a blank box 12 located opposite the
number "2". The vertical pairing of the dice 22 to
28 of Fig. 4 produce the additions "1 + 1" which
equals "2" and "1 + 3" which equals "4", and the
ensuing product "8". As this is the same product as
was obtained with the horizontal pairings, the
second player cannot insert this product a second
time on the score sheet S. The diagonal pairing
also yields a product of "8" which again cannot be
inserted in the second player's side of the score
sheet S since only different products can be
inserted on the score sheet S for a same roll of the
dice D.
Accordingly, if two of the four dice D
show a same number, the number of products which can
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be entered on the score sheet S is two instead of
the three entries which are produced when the four
dice D each show a different number. If three (or
all four) of the four dice D show the same number,
there is only one possible entry on the score sheet
S, as was the case for the roll of dice of Fig. 4.
If the dice D, in a particular roll of the
dice D of the first player, show the numbers "3",
"4", "5" and "6", the following three products will
be obtained: "'(4 + 5) x (3 + 6)" which equals "81";
"(4 + 3) x (5 + 6)" which equals "77"; and
"(4 + 6) x (3 + 5)" which equals "80". These three
products "81", "77" and "80" have been entered in
blank boxes 12 of the first player's left-hand side
of the score sheet S of Fig. 1.
The cycle between the various players is
repeated until there is a winner, the "winner"
corresponding to the player who first fills with
numbers all of the boxes 12 of his side of the score
sheet S. During the course of the game, the players
might not be able to enter some products obtained by
the roll of the dice D if no blank box 12 remains
opposite the multiplier and multiplicand of any such
products.
There is no real competition in this game
as the numbers are obtained through rolls of the
dice and are thus, at least mainly, dependent on
one's luck. On the other hand, there is some
strategy involved when the players choose where to
place each product on the score sheet S as it is
more difficult to fill out the blank boxes 12
opposite the lower and higher numbers of the central
column 10 than it is to fill the boxes of the
central numbers, such as the "6", "7" and "8" and
even the "5" and "9". For this reason, the blank
boxes 12 of the score sheet S define a staggered
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configuration in order to generally reflect the
probabilities of encountering the multipliers and
multiplicands of the central column 10 which lie
opposite each rows of boxes 12. With respect to
Fig. 1, in order to follow exactly the
probabilities, one extra blank box would have to be
added on each side of the central column 10 to each
of the rows extending opposite the numbers "3"
through "11" of the central column 10. These nine
blank boxes have been removed from the score sheet S
of Fig. 1 in order to shorten the game.
As an option, two sets 30 and 32 of five
horizontally aligned blank squares 34 are provided
on the score sheet S of Fig. 1, these first and
second sets 30 and 32 belonging respectively to the
players of the left and right sides of the score
sheet S. Each of the first and second sets 30 and
32 are filled out as follows. Each time a player
enters a product in either one of the rows of blank
boxes 12 located opposite the numbers "5", "6", "7",
"8" and "9" of the central column 10 of the score
sheet S, the player, if he considers that this
product will represent the highest product of the
respective row of blank boxes 12 in a given game,
will also enter this product in the appropriate one
of the blank squares 34, that is above the number
which corresponds to the number of the row appearing
in the central column 10. For instance, when the
first player (that is the player using the left side
of the score sheet S) entered the product "81"
opposite the row "9", he could have chosen to also
insert this product "81" in the appropriate blank
square 34 if he considers that his remaining entries
opposite the number "9" of the central column 10
will include products which are lower than "$1".
Accordingly, in this game, the first player believes
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that he will not enter any products higher than "81"
in the remaining blank boxes 12 located opposite the
number "9" of the central column 10, whereby the
player also inserted the product "81" in the first
5 set's 30 blank square 34 located above the number 9.
Using the first and second sets 30 and 32
of blank squares 34, the winner could be determined
by the player having the highest sum in his
respective five squares 34, each player's sum being
10 computed once one player has filled all of his boxes
12. In such a case, the player might try to fill
out the squares 34 relatively early in the game in
order to have five entries to add (for obtaining the
above-mentioned sum) at the game's end even if the
15 one's boxes 12 do not all have entries therein.
Also in accordance with the present
invention, Fig. 5 illustrates a variant score sheet
S' which is characterized in that the boxes 12
thereof are shaded with various colors with each
20 color appearing, in the present embodiment, in two,
three or four boxes 12 for each side of the central
column 10 of the score sheet S'. The color
distribution of the boxes 12 is symmetrical with
respect to the central column 10. More
25 particularly, on each side of the central column 10,
there are three boxes 12 which are of violet
background and these violet boxes are represented by
reference numeral 50 in Fig. 5; there are three
boxes 12 which are of orange color which are
30 referenced by numeral 52; similarly, there are four
pink boxes 54, three green boxes 56, two lime boxes
58, two brown boxes 60, two yellow boxes 62, one
magenta box 64, two tan boxes 66, two blue boxes 68,
two purple boxes 70 and two gold boxes 72. At the
35 bottom of the score sheet S' , there is preferably a
horizontal series of boxes 50a, 52a, 54a, 56a, 58a,
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CA 02111070 2005-04-15
60a, 62a, 64a, 66a, 68a, 70a arid 72a of colors
corresponding respectively to boxes 50 to 72
described hex'einabove. Fc.r instance, hox 50a is
violet, box 58a is lime ar:d 66a is tan.
5 The handling of tue set of four dice D is
identical to that descr:ib~:d mth respect to the
score sheet 5 of Fig. 1. Accordingly, the various
products obtained for a sama roll of the dice D axe
each entered in a player's respective side of the
10 score sheet S' of Fig. 5 o~.posite either one of the
multiplier and multiplicain<i of each such product.
The object is to score p~i.ms by completing all of
the boxes of a same color l.efore the other players.
Therefore, if a first p:la,~er fills out his three
15 respective orange boxes 5:'_ l~efoze the other players,
this first player marks one point for this color and
the other players cannot sc,~re points for the orange
valor, even when they lzame filled all of their
orange boxes 52. The products will thus be
2o positioned an the score st,eet S' in order to, as
quickly as possible, com~.lete same-colored boxes
which have not yet been a~~pzopriated by any player.
In other words, l.he first player to fill
with a product both of h..s violet boxes 50 w~.11
25 score a point. ~veri if the point for the violet
boxes 50 has been awarded to a first player, the
second player must also a~: Least fill ouL his violet
box 50 opposite the number 5 in the central column
10 if he wishes to have a~rc.ess to points awarded for
30 the pink and/or yellow 'cores 59 and 62 as these
colored boxes axe also f«u.~d opposite the number 5
of the central column 10 ar,d as each line can, in a
preferred emk~odiment, only v>e filled from the inside
out, that is from the cent: al column 10 towards the
35 peak of the sideways orient ed pyramid formed tay the
boxes 12. The game ends mh~:n all of the boxes 12
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are filled or when there are no more colors to be
won by either player. Scoring could also be
determined by each player adding the products found
in the boxes 12 of a same color, wherein for a same
5 color the winner for that color would be the player
having the highest sum when the products thereof are
added.
Also, the winner could be determined by
the player having the highest sum of the products of
10 all of the colored boxes which the player had won by
filling the same colored boxes first.
With the first scoring system, an "X"
could be inserted in the boxes 12 instead of
entering the products themselves.
15 The boxes 50a to 72a are used for keeping
track of the score by, for instance, entering
therein the name (or code) of the winner for each
individual color. In the scoring system wherein the
products for the same colored boxes are added for
20 determining the winner of each set of colored boxes,
the sums of each player for each color can be
compared and the winner for each color can be
indicated in respective boxes 50a to 72a.
It is also contemplated that it is not
25 necessary to fill out the boxes 12 from the inside
out. In such case, a product could be positioned in
any blank box 12 lying opposite one of the
multiplier and multiplicand, regardless of any blank
boxes which could lie between the product so entered
30 and the central column 10. In such a case, players
would not have to insert products in colors which
have been already awarded to another player in order
to have access to other colors appearing in a same
line as it is the case when each line of the pyramid
35 has to be filled from the inside out.
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Furthermore, it is contemplated that, for
a same player, a same product cannot be repeated on
a same line, that is opposite the numbers appearing
in the central column 10. For instance, if the
5 product "60" has been entered opposite the number
"6" of the central column 10, the product "60"
cannot be entered a second time in the line
corresponding to the number "6" of the central
column 10.
10 Moreover, it is contemplated that two or
more players can play on a same side of the central
column 10, that is using the boxes 12 of a same
pyramid with the winner for a given color
corresponding to the player who fills out the last
15 blank box 12 for this given color.
In the score sheet S' of Fig. 5, there are
twelve different colors but, obviously, the number
of colors as well as the number of boxes 12 for each
color and the distribution of the colored boxes in
20 the pyramid can be modified.
It is noted that the above-described games
could also be adapted in order to become learning
tools for other arithmetic operations, such as
additions, subtractions and divisions, bearing in
25 mind that the various games in the illustrated forms
are learning tools, not only for multiplications,
but also for additions.
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