Conversions with the Ladder Method

Rational Numbers Team Members:______Date: ______

A Rational War This game is similar to the classic playing card game, War. You must compare two rational numbers (fractions, mixed fractions, improper fractions and decimals) to determine which has the greater value. You will be playing in teams of two or if there are an odd number of students in the class, groups of three.

Game Rules: 1) Shuffle the cards. Deal all of the cards, one at a time, into two stacks. Leaving the cards face down, each team plays from their own stack. 2) Play begins with both teams turning their top cards face up. 3) The team with the larger rational number value takes both cards. 4) Won cards are added to the bottom of the team’s stack. 5) In case of a “tie,” players continue turning up cards until the tie is broken. The winner of the tie takes all of the cards turned up since the beginning of the tie. 6) Play continues until a winner is declared. The winner is the player ending up with all of the cards or the player with the most cards at the end of a set period of time. 7) To prove your win, you must fill out the card play chart on the following pages. Any illegal card captures will result in cancellation of the overall win. 8) Your team will alternate responsibilities from game to game. These responsibilities include:  Team Card Calculator – This person will convert the rational number on your team’s card into decimal form. This will be compared with the decimal value of other team’s card.  Opposition Card Checker – This person will convert the rational number on the other team’s card into decimal form. This will serve as check of the other team’s calculation and will help reduce error.  Double-checker (3 person team only) – This person will double-check their team member’s work separately. Record your rational war results below. Show the winner of each hand with a check mark: Rational War Example. Your Decimal Opponent Decimal Card Value Card Value 7 0.875 12 0.857 8  14 Rational War 1. Rational War 2. Your Decimal Opponent Decimal Your Decimal Opponent Decimal Card Value Card Value Card Value Card Value Rational War 3. Rational War 4. Your Decimal Opponent Decimal Your Decimal Opponent Decimal Card Value Card Value Card Value Card Value Rational War 5. Rational War 6. Your Decimal Opponent Decimal Your Decimal Opponent Decimal Card Value Card Value Card Value Card Value