Math Games with an Extra Kick: Refreshing Mental Math for Adults |
Posted: April 22, 2016 |
Do you know that kind of people that can subtract two large numbers in a blink of an second? I know one - my mother. Such ability leaves you with “I wanna be able to do this“. However, another reason you want to do this lies in your brain… Luckily, here are some ways which can help you achieve such power. What Your Brain Gets out of ItStudies have shown that mental arithmetic enhances the capacity of your working memory. It is essential for your entire mental performance. Furthermore, it affects all mental functions - starting from your ability to think and memorize things, all the way to your feeling of self-efficacy. On the other hand, the problem with the information age is that you never get to use your mental calculus, because of the wide accessibility of mathematical tools. In addition, it affects your working memory, and it deteriorates without you noticing. The same thing that would happen to your muscles when you have a cast on your arm, for an example. That is why junior high aged kids are the quickest and most efficient thinkers in Western population. For this reason we think that making calculus fun and challenging through math games can make you a freshmen once more. The difficult part is that most of these games are made for children, so adults don’t find them amusing enough. Fortunately for you, here are some great adult-friendly math games. 1. Math game / My party quiz (free)
A great concept of number organization on a puzzle-like surface, which gives the game some extra complexity and uniqueness. The trick is to get to a goal cipher written in the central piece of the puzzle by using only the neighboring ones and building an array of numbers with operations ( + - x / ) between them. This array has to finish where it started – with the target number. Moreover, time limit makes the games so addictive because the frustrating effect of it pushes you to go further. Soon, the words “I can do it!” become your mantra. My Party Quiz, a Math game made mostly with a mechanism of creating addiction used by almost every math brain teaser. How come, you might ask? By using special organization of numbers which is a natural way of stimulating the right brain hemisphere (the artistic side that helps your imagination and special skills). 2. 6 Numbers by Brainbow (free)
A game for those who aren’t into math that much - said one of the users. You only get 6 ciphers, 4 arithmetic options ( + - x / ) and a target to hit. On the way you get to expand the number of the ciphers you are allowed to use. For instance, if you are given only first six numbers (1 2 3 4 5 6) but a target number is 450, by multiplying 4 with 5 you get a new number to use – 20! But at the same time you don`t get to use numbers 4 and 5 anymore. Moreover, what makes this game such a teaser? Well, it is that it requires you to create an entire equation in your head before starting to play. This is called planning in advance and it is what made chess addictive for hundreds of years. It also makes life more challenging. You can also connect this app to facebook and compare your performance with your friends on “brainbook“. But the interface of the game is a bit dull in the sense that it may make someone’s time not well spent , it may happen to you if you pay attention to visual esthetics like myself, for example… Nevertheless, it is still a good math teaser. 3. Math work-out (free)Made for all ages this mental arithmeticgame gives you the opportunity to track the progress you have made by playing it! Having feedback on your day-to-day work-out routine is like being proud of yourself when looking in the mirror after you have done a great job. The game has 8 different training modes. My friends and I find Brain Cruncher training mode most challenging for adults. Graphics are made with many shades of gray. Free version comes with ads, but there is an option to go pro and play more freely. 4. Math Racer 3.0 - Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division Tables Speed GameNow, this game is all about speed. Seven math games with multiple levels of difficulty that give you the opportunity to sign your record and share it with friends and family and others that are eager to break it. The game should really be called the reaction time measure. Everything is made as simple as possible in order to help you do it as quick as you can. It takes an average person just two seconds to type two ciphers on a number pad plus pressing the enter key,. And that is the only delay that can’t be blamed on your brain. „The purpose of this game is to even the playing field and to test pure math calculation or memory skills alone. Nothing else ever invented for testing the math speed even comes close“ says the game Architect on why he made this math ordeal. Take your coffee before playing it. It’s the best way to jump-start your day, but hope to break the records in the morning.
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