Lesson 1

Lesson 1: Strategy in Games, Puzzles, and Patterns

 

Focus

 

Have you ever noticed how two people can be playing the same game but have two completely different strategies? Understanding your opponent’s strategy is very important in games like chess or role-playing games. In these types of games, the success of your next move is dependent on your opponent’s move.

 

Understanding strategy can also help to improve your success with one-player games or puzzles. You probably already adapt your strategy based on what works and what doesn’t work. This is part of becoming a better player whether you are playing against yourself, a real opponent, or a virtual opponent.

 

Lesson Outcomes

 

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to

• use numerical and logical reasoning to develop problem-solving strategies to analyze puzzles and games

• observe and analyze other peoples’ personal strategies

• develop your own personal problem-solving strategies to solve logic problems, puzzles, or games

Lesson Question

 

In this lesson you will investigate the following question: How can different personal strategies be used to solve a puzzle or win a game?

 

Assessment

 

Your assessment may be based on a combination of the following tasks:

• completion of the Lesson 1 Assignment (Download the Lesson 1 Assignment and save it in your course folder now.)

• course folder submissions from Try This and Share activities

• work under Project Connection

Self-Check activities are for your own use. You can compare your answers to suggested answers to see if you are on track. If you have difficulty with concepts or calculations, contact your teacher.

 

Remember that the questions and activities you will encounter provide you with the practice and feedback you need to successfully complete this course. You should complete all questions and place your responses in your course folder. Your teacher may wish to view your work to check on your progress and to see if you need help.

 

Time

 

Each lesson in Mathematics 30-2 Learn EveryWare is designed to be completed in approximately two hours. You may find that you require more or less time to complete individual lessons. It is important that you progress at your own pace, based on your individual learning requirements.

 

This time estimation does not include time required to complete Going Beyond activities or the Module Project.