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Math Suey is a 5 x 8-inch spiral-bound math puzzle book "for
all ages" with two different kinds of brain teasers. Break the
Hex and Unlock the Oct are analytical math problems. These make
up the bulk of the book, and there are 52 of them. Given six or
eight different numbers, you must arrange the numbers in order
so that by choosing among the four basic operations to put between
the numbers, the given answer is reached. The first number is supplied
for you. For example, one puzzle lists the numbers 5, 25, 3, 19,
1, and 20. You need to arrange those numbers in order (beginning
with 19) and choose among the operation symbols for add, subtract,
multiply, or divide to insert between the numbers to arrive at
the answer 15.
Where to start? How to go about these puzzles? These were a couple
questions my kids and I had. It seems you try different number
orders and operations at random (and there are an overwhelming
number of possible combinations to try) to arrive at the answer.
If it is merely a matter of trial and error, this would be frustrating
for all but the most tenacious of us. These puzzles would be good
for geniuses, but I think some further instructions or hints would
be helpful for the average puzzle solver. How about providing the
operations needed and requiring the numbers, or supplying the numbers
in correct order and requiring the operations?
The second set of problems, Creative Thinking Challenges, of which
there are only nine, is a variety of exercises. Some of these are
quite appealing. One puzzle has you list 30 uses for an empty shoe
box. Another is to create figures of speech for the first part
of a sentence: "An orange feels like . . ." Inspiring quotes on
creativity and problem solving are printed on the bottom of each
page.
We love the concept of math puzzle and brain teaser books, but
we wish the first part of Math Suey was not over-the-top
challenging. Children (and adults!) need to experience a degree
of achievable success. The Creative Thinking Challenges were very
good, and it would have been nice to have a greater amount of them
in the book.
Product review by Kathy Gelzer, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine,
LLC, October 2010
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