Letters & Numbers
Years 3 - 7

You can do this activity on your own but it's more fun with two [2] people.

Preparation

  • Print two [2] copies of Letters & Numbers Tiles
    • Cut them into separate tiles, including the blanks.
    • Put each set in its own envelope.
    • Write EXTRAS on one [1] of the envelopes.
  • Calculator
  • Two empty ice cream containers or similar size boxes without lids.
  • A timer, like the one on your phone.
  • Write the title of this challenge and today's date on a fresh page in your maths journal.

Pets, Letters & Numbers

Vowels: a, e, i, o, u
Consonants: all the other letters are called consonants (con-son-ants)

  • Here are five [5] creatures some people have as pets: poodle, goat, cocky, chicken, goldfish.
  • Write them in your journal and add five more pets.
  • Suppose vowels are worth $10 each and consonants are worth $5 each.
  • Without calculating - just by looking at the words - predict and list your ten [10] pets in order from Worth Most to Worth Least.
  • Calculate to check your prediction. Record the results.
(The calculator is there if you need it ... but you probably won't.)
Poodle and chicken are worth the same.
  • What are they worth?
  • Think of one more possible pet with this same value. It doesn't have to be in your list.
  • Suppose someone only wanted pets worth $20. Find at least three [3] pets with this value.

Challenge 1

  • Bring out one set of Letters & Numbers Tiles.
    Only look at the letters, not the numbers.
  • Experiment with the tiles to search for more $20 pets.
  • Explain in words and diagrams how the Tiles might be used in an organised way to find more $20 pets.
Have fun exploring Letters & Numbers.
Challenge 2
  • Still using vowels = $10 and consonants = $5, which animal in the world today would be worth the most?

Challenge 3

  • Which dinosaur would be worth the most?

People, Letters & Numbers

Make two lines of letters across the table in front of you (2 rows of 13) so that the whole alphabet is displayed in order.
Each letter is now worth the same as its position in the alphabet. Examples: A = $1 ... M = $13 ... Z = $26
  • Use the tiles to spell out your first name.
    If you need two of the same letter write on a blank.
  • Estimate the value of your first name.
  • Record your estimate.
  • Check your estimate by calculating.
  • Record how you did the calculation.
  • Check your answer by calculating another way.
  • Record your other way.
Now you know the value of your name.

Challenge 4
Choose two other members of your family.

  • Estimate the total value of your three names.
  • Calculate to check your estimate.
    • How close were you?
    Excellent ... 0 - 5 / Very good ... 6 - 15 / Good ... 16 - 30

Challenge 5

  • Estimate, then calculate, the total value of the first names in your whole family?
  • Remember to check your answer another way.

Letters & Numbers Game

Use two complete sets of alphabet tiles so you have fifty-two (52) tiles altogether. That will be two of each letter.
The aim of the game is to get the higher total score over two rounds.
In Round 1 Player A chooses the letters and Player B uses the timer. In Round 2 players swap jobs.

Preparation

  • Put the ten vowels in one container, gently stir them around to mix them up.
  • Put the forty-two consonants in the other container and gently mix them up.

Rules

  • Without looking, Player A chooses nine [9] letters which must include at least three vowels.
  • The letters are placed in a line in any order where both players can see them.
  • Player B sets the timer for one minute then says "Ready, set, go!".
  • Both players write as many words as they can using the letters on the chosen tiles.
    No names allowed this time. (Later you might research common and proper nouns.)
  • Only words with four [4] or more letters get a score.

Scoring

  • Only your longest word counts.
  • If you have more than one longest word, you have to choose one.
  • Use the numbers on the tiles to estimate, calculate, check and record your score for this round.
Swap jobs and play the second round.
Calculate and check your score for the second round.
Compare the two total scores to decide the winner.
  • Play more games any time.
  • Design your own version of the game if you want to.
    Just make sure that you include plenty of opportunity to estimate, calculate and check another way, because you are learning to work like a mathematician and that's part of what they do.

 

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Maths At Home is a division of Mathematics Centre