Free Cell

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Purpose

This problem solving activity has a number focus.

Achievement Objectives
NA4-3: Find fractions, decimals, and percentages of amounts expressed as whole numbers, simple fractions, and decimals.
NA4-5: Know the equivalent decimal and percentage forms for everyday fractions.
NA4-7: Form and solve simple linear equations.
Student Activity

Image of a child playing a computer game.
I’m addicted to Free Cell, a game on our computer.
At the moment I’ve won 3300 games, which is 60% of the games I've played.
I’d like to be able to say that I had won two-thirds of the games that I had played.

How many games would I have to win in a row to get to the two-thirds winning mark?

 

Specific Learning Outcomes
  • Solve problems involving fractions and percentages.
  • Devise and use problem solving strategies (guess and check, be systematic, look for a pattern, make a table).
Description of Mathematics

To solve this problem the students must read carefully the information they are given, and decide how to use this to find an unknown amount.

An algebraic approach is desirable, but it may not be intuitively used by students. To successfully solve this problem, students need to have had experience with finding fractions and percentages of whole numbers.

The algebraic solution given will provide a foundation for a valuable discussion with students.

Activity

The Problem

I’m addicted to Free Cell, a game on our computer. At the moment I’ve won 3300 games, which is 60% of the games I've played. I’d like to be able to say that I had won two-thirds of the games that I had played. How many games would I have to win in a row to get to the two-thirds winning mark?

Teaching Sequence

  1. Write 2/3 on the board and ask the students to tell you all they know about it. (For example: it’s a fraction; it means 2 out of 3 parts; it’s the same as 4/6; …)
  2. Pose the problem to the class. Ask them to retell the problem using their own words to ensure that they all understand what is required.
  3. As the students solve the problem ask questions that focus on their understanding of percentages and fractions:
    What is a percentage?
    What is a fraction?
    How can we convert fractions like 1/3 and 2/3 to a percentage?
    Would you rather have 2/3 or 60% of a chocolate bar? Why?
    Show me how you calculate 2/3 of 120 using the calculator.
    Tell me how you started the problem. Why did you start in that way?
    How can you find 60% of a whole number? How can you apply that process to this problem?
    Are you convinced that you have the correct answer? Why?
  4. Tell the students that they need to record their solutions for display.
  5. Share solutions.

Solution

The information given is:
I have won 60% of my games. This number is 3300 so I can find the number of games that I have played. This is because 3300/games played = 60/100. So games played = (3300 x 100)/60 = 5500.
I’m going to play some more games and I’m going to win them all. So 2/3 = (3300 + more games) / (5500 + more games). In the table below, I’ll let the fraction on the right be F. This is now set up for a ‘guess and improve’ strategy and the use of a table.

More games playedFCompared to 2/3
1000.6071too small – increase games played
10000.6615too small – increase games played
20000.7067too large – decrease games played
15000.6857too large – decrease games played
13000.6765too large – decrease games played
12000.6716too large – decrease games played
11000.6667Bang on!

So if I play another 1100 games and win them all, then I shall have won two-thirds of all the games I have played. 

Algebraic Approach

We already know that 2/3 = (3300 + more games) / (5500 + more games). So let m = more games and we then have 2/3 = (330 + m)/ (5500 + m). Multiplying both sides by 3 and 5500 + m gives 2(5500 + m) = 3(3300 + m),
so 11000 + 2m = 9900 + 3m,
or m = 1100.

Attachments
FreeCell.pdf193.58 KB
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Level Four