Mental Maths - adding and subtracting up to 10, 20, 100
Multiplying and dividing by up to 5
Mastering times tables x2 to x15
HOW TO PLAY
Use your mental maths skills and times tables to build the tallest, most incredible ice cream sundae possible! Play against the computer (assigned by teachers) or head-to-head versus other students from around the world (competitive mode found under Games Centre).
Sundae bowls are shown at the bottom of the screen. Your bowl is in the middle and to your left and right are your rivals'.
Maths questions appear at the top of the screen. Answer the question correctly to earn a scoop of ice cream and grow your sundae stack taller!
SCORING INFORMATION
At the end of the game, a Performance Rating out of 10 is awarded.
A Performance Rating of 7 or higher earns a medal. Here are the individual game levels and the rating required to earn a medal (Bronze, Silver, Gold)
adding and subtracting up to 10 >> Performance Rating >>> 7 (B), 8 (S), 9 (G)
adding and subtracting up to 20 >> Performance Rating >>> 7 (B), 8 (S), 9 (G)
adding and subtracting up to 100 >> Performance Rating >>> 7 (B), 8 (S), 9 (G)
multiplying and dividing by up to 5 >> Performance Rating >>> 7 (B), 8 (S), 9 (G)
understanding the x2, x3, x4 and x5 times tables >> Performance Rating >>> 7 (B), 8 (S), 9 (G)
understanding the x6, x7, x8 and x9 times tables >> Performance Rating >>> 7 (B), 8 (S), 9 (G)
understanding the x10, x11 and x12 times tables >> Performance Rating >>> 7 (B), 8 (S), 9 (G)
understanding the x13, x14 and x15 times tables >> Performance Rating >>> 7 (B), 8 (S), 9 (G)
Scoring calculation
When time runs out, the heights of the sundaes are calculated.
This Performance Rating is calculated based on, and as follows:
final position in the race (1st, 2nd or 3rd)
the number of problems answered correctly
accuracy
Basic Strategies
Answer a question correctly to earn an ice cream scoop. If you answer a problem incorrectly, the scoop falls past your bowl and has to be cleaned up - during this time you cannot answer a new question, giving your rivals the chance to pull ahead!
Every 8 scoops you pass a ‘?’ icon, which randomly awards you a power-up that can either help you or hinder your rivals. Clever use of power-ups at the right time can mean the difference between winning and losing!
Activate the power-up by clicking the icon or pressing SPACE. Attack power-ups automatically target your most threatening rival, leaving you free to concentrate on problem solving. Be sure to use power-ups before they disappear off-screen, or you’ll lose them forever!
If a rival targets you with the Squirt-Squirt Cream or Frozen Desserts power-ups, rapidly click the mouse button or tap ENTER to eradicate their effects more quickly.
More on Power-Ups
There are 11 power-ups in total. Remember to activate them before they disappear (click on the icon or pressing SPACE).
Bonus Scoops (s) - Awards you with extra ice cream. There are three varieties of this tasty treat: single scoop, double scoop, and triple scoop.
Chilli Sauce Splats - Squirts blazing hot spicy relish over one of your rivals' sundaes, robbing them of a precious ice cream scoop.
Extra Helpings - Awards you TWO ice cream scoops or every problem answered correctly. It only lasts for a short time, so make good use of it! Also, this power-up is lost of you enter an incorrect answer.
Frozen Desserts - Freezes rivals’ inputs and prevents them from entering answers. If you fall victim to its chilly grasp, rapidly click the mouse or tap ENTER to shatter the ice more quickly.
Hungry Hound - Unleashes a ravenous sweet-toothed mutt who homes in on the tallest sundae and wolfs down a whole stack of ice cream scoops. Down, boy!
Scooper Stealer - Steals an ice cream scoop from one of your rivals and adds it to the top of your sundae.
Squirt-Squirt Cream - Covers one of your rivals’ inputs in fluffy white cream. If you get attacked by this sticky threat, rapidly click the mouse or tap ENTER to shake off the cream more quickly.
Shield - Protects your sundae from any power-up attack. It only lasts for a short time, so make sure you activate it at the right moment.
Wasp Swarm - Releases a swarm of hungry insects who just love ice cream. As they sweep across the screen, they steal three ice cream scoops from each of your rivals.
MATHS STRATEGIES
Adding small numbers together
Start with the bigger number and then keep counting on with the other number.
For example: if you were working out 7 + 4 you could start with 7 and then add on 4 by counting from 7: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 So, 7 + 4 = 11
Adding tens and units together
Start by adding the tens and then add the units.
For example: if you were working out 26 + 31 you could start with 20 + 30 and then work out 6 + 1. 20 + 30 = 50 and 6 + 1 = 7Now add 50 and 7 together. So, 26 + 31 = 57
Subtracting small numbers
You can do this by counting backwards.
For example: if you were working out 12 − 4 you could start with 12 and then count 4 more backwards: 12, 11, 10, 9, 8 So, 12 − 4 = 8
Subtracting with tens and units
One way to do this is to count back up.
For example: if you were working out 40 − 26 you could count up from 26 to make 40. Start with 26, add 4 to make 30. Starting from 30, add 10 to make 40. All together you added 14. So, 40 − 26 = 14
Swapping numbers around when you multiply
If you see a times tables question that you find hard, you might find it easier to work out if you think of the two numbers the other way around.
For example: 5 × 2 means "five lots of two" or "2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2". But if you work out 2 × 5 you get the same answer. 2 × 5 means “two lots of five” or “5 + 5”. You might find it easier to work out 5 + 5 = 10
Multiplying by 0
When you multiply a number by ZERO, the answer is always ZERO.
For example: if you were working out 0 × 3 or 5 × 0 you get the answer ZERO. 0 × 3 = 0 and 5 × 0 = 0
Multiplying by 1
When you multiply a number by 1, this is really just saying “What is one lot of the number?”
For example: if you were working out 1 × 3 or 3 × 1 this means “What is one lot of three?” The answer is just 3. 1 × 3 = 3 and 3 × 1 = 3
Multiplying by 2
When you multiply a number by 2, it is the same as doubling the number. Sometimes it’s easier to think of doubling a number than timesing it by 2.
For example: if you were working out 4 × 2 or 2 × 4 this would be the same as doubling 4.
When you multiply a number by 2, you might find it easier to work out the answer by adding.
For example: work out 2 × 3. This can be worked out by adding 3 to 3. So, 3 + 3 = 6
Multiplying by 3
When you multiply a number by 3, you might find it easier to work out the answer by adding.
For example: work out 3 × 5. This can be worked out as 5 + 5 + 5 = 15
Multiplying by 4
When you multiply a number by 4, it is the same as doubling the number and then doubling again. Sometimes it’s easier to think of doubling a number than timesing it by 4.
For example: if you were working out 3 × 4 this would be the same as doubling 3 and then doubling again. So double 3 to get 6. Then double 6 to get 12. So, 3 × 4 = 12
Multiplying by 5
When you multiply a number by 5 you might find it helpful to count quickly in fives.
For example: to work out 3 × 5 you can count in fives to get: 5, 10, 15. So the answer is 15.
Dividing by 1
When you divide a number by 1, you get just the same number.
For example: if you were working out 7 ÷ 1 you get just the answer 7. So, 7 ÷ 1 = 7
Dividing by 2
When you divide a number by 2, it is the same as halving the number. Sometimes it’s easier to think of halving a number than dividing it by 2.
For example: if you were working out 10 ÷ 2 this would be the same as halving 10. So, 10 ÷ 2 = 5 and half of 10 is 5
Dividing by 3
When you divide a number by 3, it means “How many 3s go into the number?” You can work out the answer by counting in 3s.
For example: if you were working out 12 ÷ 3 you could count in 3s: 3, 6, 9, 12 This means that the answer is 4. So, 12 ÷ 3 = 4
Dividing by 4
When you divide a number by 4, it means “How many 4s go into the number?” You can work out the answer by counting in 4s.
For example: if you were working out 12 ÷ 4 you could count in 4s: 4, 8, 12 This means that the answer is 3. So, 12 ÷ 4 = 3
Dividing by 5
When you divide a number by 5, it means “How many 5s go into the number?” You can work out the answer by counting in 5s.
For example: if you were working out 20 ÷ 5 you could count in 5s: 5, 10, 15, 20 This means that the answer is 4. So, 20 ÷ 5 = 4
