FACTORTASTIC Instructions

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Welcome to our fantastic multiplication game! The winner of each deck will collect the MOST PAIRS. There are 6 decks included. Please play the same deck until you know its times tables really well, and then choose a new deck.

Note: Anyone may call out answers. As players get used to the cards after a few rounds, they’ll be the ones helping others.

Supplies: 132 game cards: 66 (Mostly Green Factor Cards (2x2 through 12x12 with no repeats) and 66 Mostly Purple Product Cards (answers to multiplication). 6 Key Cards / Instruction Cards. All perfect squares, a number times itself, are pink.

Supplies

  • 132 game cards
  • 66 Mostly Green Factor Cards (2x2 through 12x12 with no repeats)
  • 66 Mostly Purple Product Cards (answers to multiplication)
  • 6 Key Cards / Instruction Cards
  • All perfect squares, a number times itself, are pink

HOW TO PLAY (1, 2 or 3 PLAYERS)

  1. Practice your times tables by using only the Purple Product Cards. Notice the characters on the cards (see key card) to help find the answer. For example, if the purple card has a fox and a star on it, that is symbolizing 9×5, so the number in the corner will be 45, because 9×5 or 5×9 is 45.
  2. Once you feel like you’ve memorized 8 purple cards, find their matching green cards and place all sixteen cards face down, 4 across and 4 down.

Turn any card up and then turn a second card up. If the two cards form a matching Factor/product pair, place them both face up in front of you.  If the second card is not a match, turn both cards face down and repeat until all 8 matching Factor/product pairs are face up in front of you.

  1. Each box has 6 separate decks. Do not start a new deck until you can play the first deck quickly. Begin by placing a KEY card in front of each player.
  2. Deal 5 cards face down to each player. Leave the rest in the middle to form a DRAW PILE..
  3. Look at your cards. Use the KEY Card to see what the PURPLE cards are worth. For example, if you have the PURPLE Card with 2-SHOES and a 5-pointed STAR with the number 10 in the corner, that means 2×5=10, so you look for its pair, the GREEN Card with 2×5 or 5×2 on it. Notice two stars have 10 points altogether. A Factor–Product Pair is 2 cards of equal value, where one is the QUESTION and the other is the ANSWER. If you are dealt any Factor–Product Pairs, place them FACE UP in front of you, and announce the Factor–Product Pair: “5×2 is 10 or 2×5 is 10.” This announcement is essential for learning and is made with every pair.
  4. Once all pairs are announced, play begins. The dealer is PLAYER 1 and asks the opponent for a GREEN card that will match a PURPLE card or vice versa. Also, they may ask for a PINK card. PINK cards, perfect squares, match other PINK cards..
  5. For example, if they have the PURPLE card with 15 on it, they may ask, “Do you have 3×5?” (the GREEN card).
    1. If PLAYER 2 does NOT have the card PLAYER 1 asked for or the reverse (5×3), PLAYER 2 says, “DRAW,” and PLAYER 1 draws a card. If PLAYER 1 draws the card they asked for, PLAYER 1 says, “I got what I wanted,” and then announces, “5×3 is 15,” and continues their turn. If PLAYER 1 draws a different card, then the turn ends for PLAYER 1 and PLAYER 2 gets a chance to ask for a card.
    2. If PLAYER 2 HAS the card requested or the reverse (5×3), they must relinquish the card to PLAYER 1, and PLAYER 1 places the PAIR FACE UP in front of them, and announces, “5×3 is 15.” PLAYER 1 continues asking for a card, each time announcing the pair until the opponent doesn’t have the card, at which point PLAYER 2 says, “DRAW” and PLAYER 1 draws ONE card, and their turn ENDS if they do not draw the card they asked for.
  6. If the card PLAYER 1 draws makes a DIFFERENT PAIR, they place the card in their hand and may announce their new pair at the beginning of their next turn. Then they can begin asking their opponent for a card, as they did before.
  7. At any point in the game, if a player runs out of cards, they draw ONE card and play continues.
  8. Play ends when there are no cards in the DRAW pile, no cards in anybody’s hand, and all cards are paired face up.
  9. The winner is the player with the MOST PAIRS when all cards are played. In the event of a tie, the player with the higher product card wins (144 is the highest in this deck). ***Some PURPLE cards have “OR” on them. Be sure to ask for all possibilities. For example, if you have a card with “20” in the corner, be sure to ask for both “2×10 OR 4×5.” The winner will collect the MOST PAIRS after all the cards are played.  The goal is to become facile with your times tables with no effort, so please don’t worry if you need to look up answers, because before you know it, you’ll know them for life! Go to Factortastic.com to watch how it works!
Add 5 pairs to the deck. Game is similar to the 2-Player game. Players may call on either opponent.