MULTIPLICATION WRESTLING

Materials:
  • 1 deck of 0-9 number cards (4 of each number for a total of 40 cards)

Number of Players:

Two (2)
Object of the Game:

To get the largest product of two 2-digit numbers.
Directions:

Shuffle the deck of cards and place them facedown.  Each player draws 4 cards and forms two 2-digit numbers.  There are many possible combinations of 2-digit numbers.  Each player must pick a pair of numbers to use so that the problem will give him or her the highest product.
Example:

Player 1

Draw:

Form 75 and 84.

Player 2

Draw:

Form 64 and 91.

Each player creates two "wrestling teams" by writing each number as a sum of tens and ones.

Player 1

75 * 84
Team 1 Team 2
(70+5) * (80 + 4)

Player 2

64 * 91
Team 1 Team 2
(60+4) * (90+1)

Next, each player's two wrestling teams wrestle each other in this way:  Each member of the first team (for example, 70 and 5) is multiplied by each member of the second team (for example, 80 and 4).  Then the four products are added.

Player 1:
(70+5) * (80+4) 5600
(70*80) + (70*4) + (5*80) + (5*4) = 280
5600 + 280 + 400 + 20 = 6300 400
+ 20
5000
1200
100
6300

Player 2:
(60+4) * (90+1) 5400
(70*90) + (60*1) + (4*90) + (4*1) = 60
5400 + 60 + 360 + 4 = 5824 360
+  4
5000
700
120
5824

The player with the larger result wins the round.  To find the winner's score, subtract the loser's result from the winner's result and record the difference on a score sheet like the one below.  For example, Player 1 scores 476 points for Round 1 because 6300 - 5824 = 476.  Player 2 scores no points.

Players' Names Player 1 Player 2
Round 1 476 0
Round 2    
Round 3    
Total    

In each round, each player draws 4 new cards to for two new numbers.  Play 3 rounds.  Add the totals.  The highest total wins the game.

Players may use a calculator to find the winner's score for a round and their total score for the game.  They may also use a calculator to check a player's score for a round by multiplying the two numbers.  (For example, to check Player 1's score, multiply 75*84.)