Think you don’t ‘do’ math. Think again. If you ever played a card game – that’s math.
This week’s math challenge is the card game WAR.
You will need:
 Two players
 A deck of cards
 Lightning reflexes (you know, like the one’s your kid has)
Game Play:
Deal out all the cards so that each player has half the deck placed face down in front of
them.
Each player turns a card face up at the same time.
Primary Option
As in standard war, the cards are won by the player who played the largest card. This can
be further simplified for younger children by removing the Aces and Face Cards. If the
cards are the same you GO TO WAR!! (See Going to War rules below)
Junior Option
As cards are turned up the players must add them together quickly and call out the
answer. The player who calls out the correct answer first wins the cards. (Ask you child
to check by counting the symbols on the cards). If both players call out the answer at the
same time you GO TO WAR!! (See Going to War rules below). This can be further
simplified for younger children by removing the Aces and Face Cards.
Intermediate Option
As cards are turned up the players must multiply them together quickly and call out the
answer. The player who calls out the correct answer first wins the cards. (Keep a
multiplication table handy to check the answer). If both players call out the answer at the
same time you GO TO WAR!! (See Going to War rules below).
Cards that are won go face down at the bottom of the winning player’s deck.
Face card values
Ace = 1
King = 13
Queen = 12
Jack = 11
Going to War
If you need to GO TO WAR, each player places four cards face down in a line. Both
player, then flip over their fourth card at the same time. Whoever wins that trick gets all
the cards on the table.
Ending the game
The game continues until one player has no cards left in his pile.
Want to play more card games? Check out the following resources:
Book: Math Games and Activities with Cards by Charles Lund, William L. Gaslin and Martin
M. Gaslin
PDF (attached): Simple Math Games to Play at Home with a Deck of Cards
------------------------------------------------------------------------Math Challenge Confirmation:
Student Name: ___________________________________
Class: _______________________ Parent Signature: _________________________________
We have completed The Math Challenge for Week # 3!