Monopoly Math Mania!
Materials:
- Monopoly game board and pieces (or just the play money, property cards, and dice)
- Pencil and paper
- Calculator (optional, for checking work)
Welcome, future Monopoly tycoon! Today, we're going to use the fun game of Monopoly to practice our arithmetic skills. Get ready to buy, sell, and calculate your way to victory!
Activity 1: Starting Cash Calculation
In Monopoly, each player starts with $1500. Let's break down how you get that money:
- 2 x $500 bills = ?
- 2 x $100 bills = ?
- 2 x $50 bills = ?
- 6 x $20 bills = ?
- 5 x $10 bills = ?
- 5 x $5 bills = ?
- 5 x $1 bills = ?
Calculate the total for each denomination and then add them all up. Does it equal $1500? Let's check our addition!
Activity 2: Property Shopping Spree!
Imagine you land on these properties and decide to buy them:
- Mediterranean Avenue ($60)
- Baltic Avenue ($60)
- Reading Railroad ($200)
How much money did you spend in total? (Addition)
If you started with $1500, how much money do you have left after buying these properties? (Subtraction)
Activity 3: Rent Calculation
Let's look at the Rent on the Title Deed card for Baltic Avenue. The rent is $4. If another player lands on your property 3 times during the game, how much rent money would you collect from them in total? (Multiplication)
Now, imagine you own all the properties in a color group (like the light blue ones: Oriental Avenue, Vermont Avenue, Connecticut Avenue) and you've built 1 house on each. Look at the Title Deed cards. Calculate the rent someone would pay if they landed on Oriental Avenue with 1 house ($30), Vermont Avenue with 1 house ($30), and Connecticut Avenue with 1 house ($40). If someone landed on all three *once*, how much rent would you collect? (Addition)
Activity 4: Passing Go and Paying Taxes
Every time you pass GO, you collect $200. If you pass GO 4 times, how much money do you collect? (Multiplication)
Oh no! You landed on Income Tax. You have to pay $200. If you had $850 before landing on Income Tax, how much do you have now? (Subtraction)
Later, you land on Luxury Tax and have to pay $100. How much do you have left? (Subtraction)
Activity 5: Making Change Challenge
Use the Monopoly money for this:
- You buy St. Charles Place for $140. You pay with a $500 bill. How much change should you get back? (Subtraction) Show the change using the fewest bills possible.
- Someone owes you $28 in rent. They pay you with a $50 bill. How much change do you give them? (Subtraction) Show the change using the fewest bills possible.
Wrap-up
Great job! See how much math is involved in playing Monopoly? We used addition, subtraction, and multiplication just like real business people (and Monopoly champions!) do. Keep practicing these skills as you play!