Each player draws the 10-pin bowling triangle with the numbers 1 to 10 inside each circle. They take turns to roll three dice and record the numbers that come up. The students use the three numbers once only and combine them with any of the four operations, and brackets if needed, to make up a number sentence that “bowls out” numbers in the triangle.

For example, if 6, 4, and 2 are thrown, a number sentence might be 6 x 2 ÷ 4 = 12 ÷ 4 = 3, so the ball with 3 in it is “bowled out”. Similarly, 8 might be bowled out with 6 + 4 – 2. The students try to “bowl out” as many numbers as possible with each turn, but need to wait for their next turn to have another throw when they are stuck. For the students at the early strategy stages, the focus should be on addition and subtraction, but the activity can be extended for more able students.

Extension Activity – Advanced Multiplicative and Beyond

3 factorial or 3! means 1x 2 x 3. The recurring decimal 0.333333333 ... and equals 1/3.

Change the numbers in the circles to 11 to 20. Include the four operations +, –, x, ÷ and decimals, recurring decimals, and factorials.

For example, a student might roll 3, 3, and 6. They can work out:

3! ÷ 3 x 6 = 12,  3! + 3! + 6 = 18, 3 ÷ 0.333! + 6 = 15, 3!/0.333 - 6 = 12