Using playing cards to support Mathematics

Use a set of paying cards to do play any of these games.

If you don’t have playing cards, you can make a set using a scrap piece of paper and cutting into 40 pieces (or larger ones can be made with 2 pieces of paper split into parts.)

You will need the numbers 1-10 written out 4 times

Game 1

Make the largest number

Take out the 10s and picture cards

Put all the cards in a pile in the centre

The aim is to make the largest 4-digit number

Each player turns over a card at a time and places immediately

This happens 4 times and largest number wins

©Tara Loughran

Game 2

Make a product between 20 and 60

If you are using playing cards, take out the picture.

Deal out 20 cards face up.

Take out singles/totals/triples that have a product between 20 and 60.

In this hand, I scored, 8 pairs with a product between 20 and 60.

I had 4 cards left.

How many products can you find?

©Tara Loughran

Game 3

Can you find?

Picture cards count as 10 and Aces count as 11

Put out 20 cards

Ask questions such as ‘Can you see a pair of adjacent cards with a product of 24?’

The 6 and 4 are removed

Can you see a pair of adjacent cards with a product of 48?

Ask additional questions using any of the four operations

©Tara Loughran

Game 4

Find my product

Take out the picture cards

Split the cards between the number of players

Each player splits their cards into two piles

Each player turns over 2 cards

Multiply the numbers

Largest product wins

©Tara Loughran

Game 5

24 game

Deal four cards per player

Ace is 1, Jack is 11, Queen is 12 and King is 13

Use all four operations to get as close to 24 as possible

(8 x 3) x (6 ÷ 6)

6 x 8 x 36

©Tara Loughran

Game 6

As close to 10

Take out all pictures cards and 10s

Deal 4 cards and the decimal point

Rearrange cards into n addition calculation(S) to get as close to 10 as possible without going bust

3.8 + 4.7 = 8.5

6.9 + 2.6 = 9.5

©Tara Loughran

Game 7

Make zero

Take out all pictures cards and 10s

Deal 4 cards and a decimal point

Rearrange cards into a subtraction calculation to get as close to 0 as possible without negative

4.7 – 3.8 = 0.9

6.9 – 6.2 = 0.7

©Tara Loughran

Game 8

Largest or smallest proper fraction

Take out the picture cards

Split the cards between the number of players

Each player turns over 2 cards

Make into a proper fraction

Rule change

You decide whether to make the largest or smallest fraction, proper or improper

©Tara Loughran

Throw a coin to determine highest or lowest

Heads – largest number wins

Tails - smallest number wins

Game 9

Deal or Stick

Use a target number Eg 50

Use all the cards in a pack: A as 1, J as 11, Q as 12 and K as 13

Deal cards and start adding together. You can take as many cards as you want on each turn until you decide to stick. The other player then plays. You can go again as long as you don’t bust. If you bust, you are out.

©Tara Loughran

Game 10

Closest to the fraction

Take out the picture cards.

Deal 5 cards each.

Use your cards to make:

Closest to 12

Closest to 14

Closest to 310

Closest to 1

Closest to 2

Closest to 34

1 point for each round you win.

©Tara Loughran