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SFMATH2.TXT
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2006-10-19
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RARE OFFICIAL TI EDUCATION CARTRIDGES:
THE SCOTT FORESMAN MATH ACTION GAME SERIES
reviewed by Charles Good
Lima Ohio User Group
Most of these games are more fun, in my opinion, than
the "Computer Math Games" series. They are probably best
used in a home rather than a classroom environment, since
math concepts already learned are reinforced but you aren't
taught any new concepts. It is necessary to solve a math
problem in order to make a move. An incorrect answer
sometimes results in the computer displaying the correct
answer to the problem, but you don't get an explanation of
HOW to obtain the correct answer. None of these c1983 games
are mentioned in any TI promotional literature I have seen.
They were all, apparently, released by Scott Foresman after
"Black Friday", although they are mentioned in Scott
Foresman ads prior to then. All these gemes have on screen
instructions, make good use of music and color graphics, and
have three levels of difficulty, usually labeled HARD,
HARDER, and HARDEST. Although originally designed to be run
from cartridges, we have all these games on library disks
112b and 114a in a format that will run out of extended
basic without the need for a gram device.
FROG JUMP
This game for 1 or 2 players teaches counting and
reading of basic numbers. It is NOT a "frogger" type of
"cross the freeway" game. You and your opponent's frogs
jump around the pond from one lily pad to another. You
<enter> the answer of each displayed problem. If the answer
is correct your frog will jump and you win lily pads. The
faster you answer the more lily pads you win. The winner is
the first player to win 20 lily pads. Problems are of the
"Give 3 more than 48" or "52 54 56 58 Give the next number"
type.
SPACE JOURNEY
You have two minutes to guide your space ship home to
earth in this one player game. To move your ship you must
answer a PERCENT problem correctly such as "Give 3.157 as
percent" (315.7%). before you land you mist either
intercept ten meteors or land on five different planets.
After each correct answer you may do either. The game is
not easy. If meteors hit your ship you become lost in space
and the game ends. If you land on a planet some disaster
usually occurs which requires you to solve extra problems to
get off the planet. For example, "Your ship has engine
trouble. You can repair it only if you answer two problems
correctly." Finishing within the allowed two minutes isn't
easy, even if you know the math!
PICTURE PARTS
This is, in my opinion, the most amusing of this group
of math games. It resembles FACE MAKER. Every time you
correctly answer a basic addition, subtraction, or
multiplication problem you get your choice of parts to add
to the face you are building on screen. Face shape, ears,
nose, hat, mouth, eyes, etc are added one at a time. When
you are finished you have a very amusing looking face that
you yourself created.
PYRAMID PUZZLER
This is a two player game, or one person can play
against the computer. The object is to be the first to
climb to the top of the pyramid. If you land on your
opponent's square he is pushed down one space. You get to
move Left/right or up/down each time you answer a
MULTIPLICATION problem correctly. Problems are basic "number
fact" problems.
STAR MAZE
You move a little creature called THID through a maze
to his home planet. Every time you correctly answer a
division problem (no remainders) you can move THID two
spaces in the maze with the arrow keys. Sometimes you bump
into a BADID star that sends you further back from the end
of the maze. This game is timed. The faster you solve the
maze the more points you earn. You can select the time
allowed (and hence the game's difficulty), 2, 3, or 4
minutes.
NUMBER BOWLING
I wrote about this game a couple of years ago as a
"never released" module. Later I learned that it was sold
in limited quantities. The game teaches DECIMALS AND
FRACTIONS. You are asked a question and must solve it
quickly. If the solution is correct you bowl your ball and
the time required to solve the problem determines the number
of pins knocked down and your score. You only get two
seconds to solve the problem and get the maximum score of
10 pins. Usually I can't type the answer that fast even if
I know the answer immediately, so I have never bowled a
perfect game with NUMBER BOWLING. Still, it is fun to try.
.PL 1