How To Play

How To Play MathDice

What is MathDice?

MathDice is a fun, fast paced game based on mental math. Players roll dice, and set the numbers into equations to get as close as possible to a target number. It's simple, fast paced, competitive. it's a great game. ThinkFun has a commercial version available, that you can buy in stores or buy online.

If you like playing with numbers, you'll like MathDice. If you're not so sure that you're a numbers person, think about this. MathDice has been designed to fit really well into your math class at school. If you played MathDice in class instead of doing your normal math drills, you'd be having more fun and learning more at the same time! Plus, we've got a program where you and your classmates can earn points towards a class Ice Cream party or other fun activity. What could be better?

How To Play MathDice

With basic MathDice, two players compete against each other. (The game can also be played by three or more players, or by teams of players, with a slight adjustment to the scoring rules.)

Players roll the dice as described below: winning a roll of the dice earns a player one point. Play continues until one player has won four points, or the best of seven points.

Playing a Point

To start, one player rolls the two 12-sided dice. Together, players combine the two numbers rolled to establish a Target Number. If you want to play the easier version of the game, add the two numbers together, if you want to play the more challenging version, multiply the two numbers together.
After the Target Number has been established, the second player rolls the three 6-sided Scoring dice. As soon as these dice have been rolled, they are in play for both players.
Using each of the numbers on the dice once and only once, and combining them using any combination of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and/or powers, the two players work to calculate a math expression that comes as close as possible to the target. When using powers, your must use one or more of the scoring numbers to get your exponent.
Once a player has calculated a number she's satisfied with, she calls it out. The other player then tries to find a different math expression, using the same Scoring Numbers, that gets closer to the target than this. Players go back and forth until one player either hits the target exactly or the other player cannot find a closer number.
When players agree that no one can find a better answer, the player with the closest answer must then state the equation that he used to get his result. If the equation is correct, that player gets the point. If the equation is incorrect or the player can't remember the equation, the other player gets the point.
As stated above, players then repeat this process, rolling Target and Scoring Dice again. First player to reach 4 points, wins the game. That's it!

If you want to learn more, check out the Tournament Rules, and also learn about Different Ways To Play.

Organized MathDice Program

Basic MathDice has simple rules. To add to the fun, we've created a bunch of MathDice pencil-and-paper games to add variety to the program. Plus, we've put these together into a program for your teacher to use to get kids playing MathDice games in your math class (instead of regular boring drills). (We explain all this in the Teacher's section of the site, you can go there and read about it if you want.)

The best part of the program is the Ice Cream Party. If you get into playing the MathDice games and working through the program, you'll earn MathDice Points for your class. When you earn enough points, you'll get to celebrate with an Ice Cream Party or some other kind of celebration. For this, you'll be able to thank your class parents or PTA parents. we're going to teach them how to support you by getting you fun rewards.

Actually, if you like to play games, it may be that the best part of the program is just playing these MathDice games. they're really fun!

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