Scientific Notation Dice Roll (to be played with a partner)
Activity adapted from Everyday Math
1. This game can be adapted in several ways and is designed to be played after the 8.EE.A.4 lessons since it
asks students to perform several different operations with numbers expressed in scientific notation. It
also gives an extension for negative exponents (use a different color die to represent negative exponents).
2. General directions – Students will work with a partner to complete this activity. Each partner will get a
copy of the score card to complete during the activity. Each round, Player 1 will roll the three dice. One of
the rolled numbers will be used for the digit in the ones place. A second rolled number will be used for the
digit in the tenths place. The final rolled number will be used as the exponent. Player 1 picks the position
of each rolled number. After writing the number in scientific notation on their player cards, both
teammates should convert the number into standard form. Player 2 repeats the above steps until both
numbers are created for the round. Finally, students will perform the listed operation or comparison.
EXAMPLE
2
6
1
5
(dice)
3
3 . 4 x 10 5
1,200,000
340,000
Round 1 – comparison

Round 2 – division

Round 3 – multiplication

Round 4 – addition

Round 5 – subtraction
1 . 2 x 10 6
(dice)
1 . 2 x 10 6

4
is greater than
3 . 4 x 10 5
ROUND 1
___ . ___ x 10 ____
(dice)
(dice)
is greater than
___ . ___ x 10 ____
___ . ___ x 10 ____
___ . ___ x 10 ____
ROUND 2
___ . ___ x 10 ____
(dice)
(dice)
is _________ times greater than
___ . ___ x 10 ____
___ . ___ x 10 ____
___ . ___ x 10 ____
ROUND 3
___ . ___ x 10 ____
(dice)
___ . ___ x 10 ____
(dice)
___ . ___ x 10 ____
times
___ . ___ x 10 ____
equals
___ . ___ x 10 ____
ROUND 4
___ . ___ x 10 ____
(dice)
___ . ___ x 10 ____
(dice)
___ . ___ x 10 ____
plus
___ . ___ x 10 ____
equals
___ . ___ x 10 ____
ROUND 5
___ . ___ x 10 ____
(dice)
___ . ___ x 10 ____
(dice)
___ . ___ x 10 ____
minus
___ . ___ x 10 ____
equals
___ . ___ x 10 ____