Make And Play Math Game – Add Or Subtract?

The object of Add or Subtract is to combine two numbers to come as close as possible to a predetermined number. Draw from a bag of numbered slips, 0 to 25. Is the number you drew more likely to be the sum of the next two numbers you draw from the bag, or the difference. Should you add or subtract?

To play the game write the numbers 0 to 25 on slips of paper (If you have a large group, you may wish to have an ending number larger than 25).

1. Place all the numbered slips in a bag.
2. Player 0ne will draw one number slip from the bag and show the number to the other players. Player one now announces an intention of either adding or subtracting the next two numbers pulled from the bag.
3. Now the next two number slips are pulled from the bag and are added or subtracted according to the agreement. How close is the sum or the difference of those two numbers to the original number pulled from the bag?
4. All players take a turn. Whose result came closest to the original number drawn from the bag? He or she is the winner of that round!

Here is an example played with two players.

• Player one draws the number 7 from the bag and chooses the operation subtraction.
• Player one draws out the numbers 13 and 19. Subtracts 19-13=6
• Player two draws the number 21 from the bag and chooses addition.
• Player two draws out the numbers 2 and 10. Adds 2+10=12
• Player one wins this round because 6 is closer to 7 than 12 is to 21.

Play another round.