One disk change, one card change
Multiplication and division as actions: change one disk at a time and build a chain of cards.
Before this, try: Multiplication triplets
You need: A pack of Prime Colours cards, a blank card mat and coloured counters.
Players: 1 or more
Goal: Make the longest chain you can, or even a loop.
Steps
- Choose a starting card and put it at the start of your chain.
- Arrange disks on the mat to match it.
- Put in or take out just one disk.
- Find the card that matches the new disks and add it to the chain.
- Keep going, one disk at a time.
What's the relationship?
Adding 5 or taking away 3 is easy to see and do. Putting in or taking out a disk is the multiplicative version: each move multiplies or divides by a prime.
Look back along your chain, for example 20, 4, 12, 6. What did each move do to the number?
- Can you make a loop that comes back to the start?
- What's the longest chain you can make without repeating a card?
Printables
Next activityShortest path: HCF and LCM →Get the cards
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