The operations dice are six faced dice which have mathematical symbols where numbers or digits would normally be. The symbols are addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, greater/less than and equal to (+, -, X, ÷, >, =). This is a great maths resource for games, activities, and can be used as a revision tool.
The operations dice can be used in class for learning addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, and more. The unpredictability of the result makes this a great example of statistical probability.
Have a go using operations dice in conjunction with numbered dice to form unique equations. The changing sides of the dice ensure students will have an entirely different question to solve with every roll.
In a group, assign each player a maths symbol (+, -, etc) and roll the operations dice along with two numbered dice. Whoever’s symbol lands upright must answer the question, and any player who answers incorrectly is eliminated until a winner emerges.
Try taking the same set of numbers (i.e. 2, 6, 12, 5) and using the operations dice to make as many different sums as possible. These numbers can also be used to create and solve problems about fractions.
For a fun guessing game, give pairs of students the same set of numbers and ask them to roll the operations dice and keep the result secret. They must solve the equation, tell their partner the answer and ask the partner to figure out what symbol was used. The first person to guess the whole equation correctly wins.