I have been playing a game with my (4th/5th grade) students, and I need help thinking of new ideas to continue it...

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At the end of every day I give the kids a number grouping (e.g. "1593341216") and they have to figure out – asking yes or no questions – what the number's common function is. In this case, it's a made-up social security number: 159 33 1216 from the state of Pennsylvania. Other groupings I've done are:

Visa/Master Card (16 digits beginning with 4121 / 5287)
International phone number (01157508383xxxx)
Massachusetts Licence Plate (5709 MZ)
California Licence Plate (5MJX697)
Megamillions number (1-10-17-22-39-49)
Standard US Suit measurements (40 18 30.5 32 24.5 32 47)
My dog's weight (11s 4lb)
Car Oil measurement (10-70)
Fertilizer (12 - 10 - 8)
ISBN for Ramona the Pest (978 01 927 50976)

remy bean, Friday, 20 April 2007 17:28 (eighteen years ago)

what other groupings can you think of? that are explicable to 10-11 year olds?

remy bean, Friday, 20 April 2007 17:29 (eighteen years ago)

36-24-36

wanko ergo sum, Friday, 20 April 2007 17:31 (eighteen years ago)

1 2 5 10 20 50 100 500 1000 5000 10000

moonship journey to baja, Friday, 20 April 2007 17:34 (eighteen years ago)

Product ID Code numbers, the sort that are printed below the bar codes.

Aimless, Friday, 20 April 2007 17:34 (eighteen years ago)

- Tracking numbers for FedEx shipments.
- A simple encipherment code where the letters in words are replaced by numbers.
- Serial numbers on currency (e.g. a dollar bill).
- A progression expressed in military time (i.e. where 1:00 pm is expressed as 13:00.)

Aimless, Friday, 20 April 2007 17:43 (eighteen years ago)

Blood pressure readings?

ailsa, Friday, 20 April 2007 17:44 (eighteen years ago)

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233

Catsupppppppppppppp dude ‫茄蕃‪, Friday, 20 April 2007 17:45 (eighteen years ago)

number of moons around solar system bodies in order

Catsupppppppppppppp dude ‫茄蕃‪, Friday, 20 April 2007 17:46 (eighteen years ago)

number of petals on flowers too

moonship journey to baja, Friday, 20 April 2007 17:47 (eighteen years ago)

2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/8, 6/8

TOMBOT, Friday, 20 April 2007 17:48 (eighteen years ago)

0 through F

TOMBOT, Friday, 20 April 2007 17:49 (eighteen years ago)

The (mean) distance to the moon, divided by the distance between the school and somewhere fairly far away from it. Present the number as the number of times travel between those two places to have traveled the distance to the moon.
You'd probably find a less convoluted, clumsy way of saying it :L
I loved that kinda thing when I was a kid - gave huge numbers some meaning.

Øystein, Friday, 20 April 2007 17:50 (eighteen years ago)

Dewey decimal numbers (easy) or Library of Congress ones (harder)

nabisco, Friday, 20 April 2007 17:54 (eighteen years ago)

200/20. (Eyesight.)

Casuistry, Friday, 20 April 2007 17:57 (eighteen years ago)

3/4. (Musical time.)

0.735456351 (Number of euros you can buy for a dollar, today.)

12,345,679 (Multiply it by 9 and you get 111,111,111; by 18 and you get 222,222,222; by 54 and you get 666,666,666; etc.)

Casuistry, Friday, 20 April 2007 18:01 (eighteen years ago)

Wait I guess these aren't GROUPINGS of numbers. Hang on, let me rethink.

Casuistry, Friday, 20 April 2007 18:02 (eighteen years ago)

what other groupings can you think of? that are explicable to 10-11 year olds?


Damn, Jeremy. Speaking for myself, those aren't even explicable to 33 year olds.

Pleasant Plains, Friday, 20 April 2007 18:10 (eighteen years ago)

FIBONACCI SEQUENCE BATCHES

sanskrit, Friday, 20 April 2007 18:17 (eighteen years ago)

FIBONACCI? Isn't he in Prison Break?

stevienixed, Friday, 20 April 2007 18:21 (eighteen years ago)

4 8 15 16 23 42

if they guess those number's functions, they can become tv screenwriters!

Jibe, Friday, 20 April 2007 18:34 (eighteen years ago)

your shoe size expressed in US, european, british, and japanese measurements

impudent harlot, Friday, 20 April 2007 18:47 (eighteen years ago)

3/4. (Musical time.)

Could be 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, 7/4, 6/8, 9/8, 12/8, etc.

Jordan, Friday, 20 April 2007 18:50 (eighteen years ago)

I have never seen 9/8 (unless in the middle of a bunch of 12/8s that change into other things). Is that ever used as a main time sig? 5+4 or something?

Casuistry, Friday, 20 April 2007 19:29 (eighteen years ago)

Totally, dude. It's just like playing in 7 except w/one extra eighth note per bar instead of one fewer.

Someone clearly didn't grow up on Billy Cobham and Mahavishnu records. :/

Jordan, Friday, 20 April 2007 19:33 (eighteen years ago)

okay seriously do you guys all have me on killfile or are you morons

TOMBOT, Friday, 20 April 2007 19:34 (eighteen years ago)

All songs credited to Tony Banks/Phil Collins/Peter Gabriel/Steve Hackett/Mike Rutherford except where noted.

"Watcher of the Skies" – 7:21
"Time Table" – 4:45
"Get 'Em Out by Friday" – 8:36
"Can-Utility and the Coastliners" – 5:44
"Horizons" (Hackett) – 1:39
"Supper's Ready" – 22:54
(I) Lover's Leap
(II) The Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man
(III) Ikhnaton and Itsacon and Their Band of Merry Men
(IV) How Dare I Be So Beautiful?
(V) Willow Farm
(VI) Apocalypse in 9/8 (co-starring the delicious talents of Gabble Ratchet)
(VII) As Sure As Eggs Is Eggs (Aching Men's Feet)


xpost, morans

Jordan, Friday, 20 April 2007 19:37 (eighteen years ago)

No I just misread it as "2/3, 3/4, 4/5, 5/6...". That is what I'm doing in math class right now!

So it's 8+1? Hm.

Casuistry, Friday, 20 April 2007 19:39 (eighteen years ago)

Maybe dates of famous events, but without the spaces (today = 200407/042007). I don't know how clever kids are.

V, Friday, 20 April 2007 19:42 (eighteen years ago)

zeros & ones for analog televisions

creme1, Friday, 20 April 2007 19:46 (eighteen years ago)

US/another country's population for the past 4 decades (or whatever the census interval is)?

patita, Friday, 20 April 2007 19:51 (eighteen years ago)

33 1/3, 45, 78
C30, C60, C90, GO!

slugbuggy, Friday, 20 April 2007 20:04 (eighteen years ago)

color values, either CMYK or RGB

elmo argonaut, Friday, 20 April 2007 20:05 (eighteen years ago)

cmyk = evil

Catsupppppppppppppp dude ‫茄蕃‪, Friday, 20 April 2007 20:08 (eighteen years ago)

IP addresses.

Casuistry, Friday, 20 April 2007 20:11 (eighteen years ago)

pssh, try printing something with RGB inks, web dude

elmo argonaut, Friday, 20 April 2007 20:11 (eighteen years ago)

pssh, try printing something with RGB inks, web dude

I'm not a total moron, but it is a huge PITA to try to get whatever wonky CMYK colors the aholes in the print dept come up with to look ok on web. Also, TINTS of colors make me cry.

I'm not even the designer and I hate it!!!!

Catsupppppppppppppp dude ‫茄蕃‪, Friday, 20 April 2007 20:28 (eighteen years ago)

err that was supposed 2 be quote

Catsupppppppppppppp dude ‫茄蕃‪, Friday, 20 April 2007 20:28 (eighteen years ago)

2 3 5 7 9 11 13 17 19 23 29 31 37 39

lfam, Friday, 20 April 2007 20:52 (eighteen years ago)

oops not 39

lfam, Friday, 20 April 2007 20:53 (eighteen years ago)

2 3 5 7 11 13 17 19 23 29
31 37 41 43 47 53 59 61 67 71
73 79 83 89 97 101 103 107 109 113
127 131 137 139 149 151 157 163 167 173
179 181 191 193 197 199 211 223 227 229
233 239 241 251 257 263 269 271 277 281
283 293 307 311 313 317 331 337 347 349
353 359 367 373 379 383 389 397 401 409
419 421 431 433 439 443 449 457 461 463
467 479 487 491 499 503 509 521 523 541
547 557 563 569 571 577 587 593 599 601
607 613 617 619 631 641 643 647 653 659
661 673 677 683 691 701 709 719 727 733
739 743 751 757 761 769 773 787 797 809
811 821 823 827 829 839 853 857 859 863
877 881 883 887 907 911 919 929 937 941
947 953 967 971 977 983 991 997 1009 1013
1019 1021 1031 1033 1039 1049 1051 1061 1063 1069
1087 1091 1093 1097 1103 1109 1117 1123 1129 1151
1153 1163 1171 1181 1187 1193 1201 1213 1217 1223
1229 1231 1237 1249 1259 1277 1279 1283 1289 1291
1297 1301 1303 1307 1319 1321 1327 1361 1367 1373
1381 1399 1409 1423 1427 1429 1433 1439 1447 1451
1453 1459 1471 1481 1483 1487 1489 1493 1499 1511
1523 1531 1543 1549 1553 1559 1567 1571 1579 1583
1597 1601 1607 1609 1613 1619 1621 1627 1637 1657
1663 1667 1669 1693 1697 1699 1709 1721 1723 1733
1741 1747 1753 1759 1777 1783 1787 1789 1801 1811
1823 1831 1847 1861 1867 1871 1873 1877 1879 1889
1901 1907 1913 1931 1933 1949 1951 1973 1979 1987
1993 1997 1999 2003 2011 2017 2027 2029 2039 2053
2063 2069 2081 2083 2087 2089 2099 2111 2113 2129
2131 2137 2141 2143 2153 2161 2179 2203 2207 2213
2221 2237 2239 2243 2251 2267 2269 2273 2281 2287
2293 2297 2309 2311 2333 2339 2341 2347 2351 2357
2371 2377 2381 2383 2389 2393 2399 2411 2417 2423
2437 2441 2447 2459 2467 2473 2477 2503 2521 2531
2539 2543 2549 2551 2557 2579 2591 2593 2609 2617
2621 2633 2647 2657 2659 2663 2671 2677 2683 2687
2689 2693 2699 2707 2711 2713 2719 2729 2731 2741
2749 2753 2767 2777 2789 2791 2797 2801 2803 2819
2833 2837 2843 2851 2857 2861 2879 2887 2897 2903
2909 2917 2927 2939 2953 2957 2963 2969 2971 2999
3001 3011 3019 3023 3037 3041 3049 3061 3067 3079
3083 3089 3109 3119 3121 3137 3163 3167 3169 3181
3187 3191 3203 3209 3217 3221 3229 3251 3253 3257
3259 3271 3299 3301 3307 3313 3319 3323 3329 3331
3343 3347 3359 3361 3371 3373 3389 3391 3407 3413
3433 3449 3457 3461 3463 3467 3469 3491 3499 3511
3517 3527 3529 3533 3539 3541 3547 3557 3559 3571
3581 3583 3593 3607 3613 3617 3623 3631 3637 3643
3659 3671 3673 3677 3691 3697 3701 3709 3719 3727
3733 3739 3761 3767 3769 3779 3793 3797 3803 3821
3823 3833 3847 3851 3853 3863 3877 3881 3889 3907
3911 3917 3919 3923 3929 3931 3943 3947 3967 3989
4001 4003 4007 4013 4019 4021 4027 4049 4051 4057
4073 4079 4091 4093 4099 4111 4127 4129 4133 4139
4153 4157 4159 4177 4201 4211 4217 4219 4229 4231
4241 4243 4253 4259 4261 4271 4273 4283 4289 4297
4327 4337 4339 4349 4357 4363 4373 4391 4397 4409
4421 4423 4441 4447 4451 4457 4463 4481 4483 4493
4507 4513 4517 4519 4523 4547 4549 4561 4567 4583
4591 4597 4603 4621 4637 4639 4643 4649 4651 4657
4663 4673 4679 4691 4703 4721 4723 4729 4733 4751
4759 4783 4787 4789 4793 4799 4801 4813 4817 4831
4861 4871 4877 4889 4903 4909 4919 4931 4933 4937
4943 4951 4957 4967 4969 4973 4987 4993 4999 5003
5009 5011 5021 5023 5039 5051 5059 5077 5081 5087
5099 5101 5107 5113 5119 5147 5153 5167 5171 5179
5189 5197 5209 5227 5231 5233 5237 5261 5273 5279
5281 5297 5303 5309 5323 5333 5347 5351 5381 5387
5393 5399 5407 5413 5417 5419 5431 5437 5441 5443
5449 5471 5477 5479 5483 5501 5503 5507 5519 5521
5527 5531 5557 5563 5569 5573 5581 5591 5623 5639
5641 5647 5651 5653 5657 5659 5669 5683 5689 5693
5701 5711 5717 5737 5741 5743 5749 5779 5783 5791
5801 5807 5813 5821 5827 5839 5843 5849 5851 5857
5861 5867 5869 5879 5881 5897 5903 5923 5927 5939
5953 5981 5987 6007 6011 6029 6037 6043 6047 6053
6067 6073 6079 6089 6091 6101 6113 6121 6131 6133
6143 6151 6163 6173 6197 6199 6203 6211 6217 6221
6229 6247 6257 6263 6269 6271 6277 6287 6299 6301
6311 6317 6323 6329 6337 6343 6353 6359 6361 6367
6373 6379 6389 6397 6421 6427 6449 6451 6469 6473
6481 6491 6521 6529 6547 6551 6553 6563 6569 6571
6577 6581 6599 6607 6619 6637 6653 6659 6661 6673
6679 6689 6691 6701 6703 6709 6719 6733 6737 6761
6763 6779 6781 6791 6793 6803 6823 6827 6829 6833
6841 6857 6863 6869 6871 6883 6899 6907 6911 6917
6947 6949 6959 6961 6967 6971 6977 6983 6991 6997
7001 7013 7019 7027 7039 7043 7057 7069 7079 7103
7109 7121 7127 7129 7151 7159 7177 7187 7193 7207
7211 7213 7219 7229 7237 7243 7247 7253 7283 7297
7307 7309 7321 7331 7333 7349 7351 7369 7393 7411
7417 7433 7451 7457 7459 7477 7481 7487 7489 7499
7507 7517 7523 7529 7537 7541 7547 7549 7559 7561
7573 7577 7583 7589 7591 7603 7607 7621 7639 7643
7649 7669 7673 7681 7687 7691 7699 7703 7717 7723
7727 7741 7753 7757 7759 7789 7793 7817 7823 7829
7841 7853 7867 7873 7877 7879 7883 7901 7907 7919

lfam, Friday, 20 April 2007 20:54 (eighteen years ago)

I'm still stuck on the fact that Remy has a 158 lb. pet.

kenan, Friday, 20 April 2007 21:51 (eighteen years ago)

Pi! 3.14159... (but then where do you stop?)

Sara R-C, Friday, 20 April 2007 21:52 (eighteen years ago)

Listen to the album and find out!

Casuistry, Friday, 20 April 2007 22:01 (eighteen years ago)

My dog's weight (11s 4lb)


Holy shit! What kind of gargantuan dog is this?

Oilyrags, Friday, 20 April 2007 23:42 (eighteen years ago)

library card numbers?

31g, Friday, 20 April 2007 23:48 (eighteen years ago)

Listen to the album and find out!

So, Ned didn't make use of the ever-popular fade-out, then?

Aimless, Saturday, 21 April 2007 00:27 (eighteen years ago)

No, it's way better than that. Ned is a clever puppy. But no fair fastforwarding, those of you with copies of the album (or mp3s that are floating about the net).

Casuistry, Saturday, 21 April 2007 00:49 (eighteen years ago)

1923, 1927, 1928, 1932, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1943, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1977, 1978, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000

Dimension 5ive, Saturday, 21 April 2007 03:45 (eighteen years ago)

that's a baseball one

Dimension 5ive, Saturday, 21 April 2007 03:46 (eighteen years ago)


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