Supercells: The Hidden Power of Numbers

Observe the numbers in the table below.

Some numbers are colored—why?

43 79 75 63 10 29 28 34

200 577 626 345 790 694 109 198

A cell is colored if the number in it is larger than its adjacent cells.

For example, 626 is colored because it is larger than 577 and 345.

Similarly, 198 is colored as it is larger than the only adjacent cell, 109.

Patterns of Numbers on the Number Line

We are familiar with number lines, but according to the chapter
Number Play, they can reveal surprising patterns when we place
numbers on them.

Let’s try placing these numbers on a number line:

2180, 2754, 1500, 3600, 9950, 9590, 1050, 3050, 5030, 5300, and
8400.

Playing with Digits

We start writing numbers from 1, 2, 3, and so on. There are nine 1-digit
numbers. But as stated in the chapter number play, how many
numbers have two digits, three digits, four digits, and five digits?

 1-digit numbers: 1–9 (9 numbers)

 2-digit numbers: 10–99
 3-digit numbers: 100–999
 4-digit numbers: 1000–9999
 5-digit numbers: 10000–99999

Digit Sums
Based on the chapter Number Play, when we add up the digits of
certain numbers, the sum is the same.

For example, the digit sum of 68 is the same as the digit sum of 176 or
545.

i.e. 6+8 = 14

1+7+6 = 14

5+4+5 = 14

Digit Detectives
Further in the chapter number play, we’ll understand the concept of
digit detectives. Let’s write numbers from 1 to 100, now understand
how many times the digit ‘7’ appeared.

 Counting the digit ‘7’ in the units place:

The numbers where ‘7’ appears in the units place are: 7, 17, 27, 37,
47, 57, 67, 77, 87, 97.

There are 10 numbers where ‘7’ appears in the units place.

 Counting the digit ‘7’ in the tens place:

The numbers where ‘7’ appears in the tens place are: 70, 71, 72, 73,
74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79.

There are 10 numbers where ‘7’ appears in the tens place.

 Counting the digit ‘7’ in the number 77:

Note that the number 77 has ‘7’ in both the tens and units place, so it
has been counted twice (once in the tens place and once in the units
place). Now that we understand digit detectives lets understand
another topic of the chapter number play named Total Count.

Total Count
Adding the appearances in both places gives us:

 10 appearances in the units place

 10 appearances in the tens place

So, the total number of times the digit ‘7’ appears from 1 to 100 is:

10+10=20 times10 + 10 = 20 times

Thus, the digit ‘7’ appears 20 times when writing the numbers from 1
to 100.

In the same way, we can find out the digit ‘7’ appeared among the
numbers 1–1000? The answers might surprise you!

Pretty Palindromic Patterns

What do these numbers have in common: 66, 848, 575, 797, 1111?
They are palindromes, meaning they read the same from left to right
and from right to left.

 All Palindromes Using 1, 2, 3: The numbers 121, 313, and 222

are some examples of palindromes using the digits ‘1’, ‘2’, and
‘3’.
 Reverse-and-Add Palindromes: Start with a 2-digit number.
Add this number to its reverse. If you get a palindrome, stop. If
 not, repeat the steps of reversing the digits and adding until you
do.

For Instance, 48+84 = 132 +231 = 363

The Magic Number of Kaprekar

D.R. Kaprekar was a mathematics teacher who discovered a magical
phenomenon with 4-digit numbers. Here’s how you can experience the
magic yourself:

1. Pick any 4-digit number with at least two different digits, say
6382.
2. Make the largest number from these digits and call it A.
3. Make the smallest number from these digits and call it B.
4. Subtract B from A to get C .i.e C = A – B
5. Repeat the process with C.

You’ll notice that after a few steps, you will always reach the number
6174!, known as Kaprekar’s constant. No matter what 4-digit number
you start with (as long as it has at least two different digits), you will
eventually arrive at 6174!

Example
Take a 4-digit number like 3215. Rearranging to form the largest and
smallest with these digits, we get 5321 and1235. Now, subtract them:
5321-1235 = 4086. Continue with the process of rearranging and
subtracting:

 8640−0468=8172
 8721−1278=7443
 7443−3447=3996
 9963−3699=6264
 6642−2466=4176
 7641−1467=6174.

Clock and Calendar Numbers

According to the chapter number play, on a 12-hour clock, certain
times have interesting patterns, like 4:44, 10:10, and 12:21.

Examples
 Manish’s birthday is on 20/12/2012, where the digits ‘2’, ‘0’, ‘1’,
and ‘2’ repeat in that order.
 Meghana’s birthday is on 11/02/2011, where the digits read the
same from left to right and from right to left.

Let’s understand
Jeevan noticed that the calendar changes every year. But can a year’s
calendar repeat after some years? Can you find out if any year’s
calendar will match exactly with that of another year?

Yes, a year’s calendar can repeat after some years. The repetition of a
calendar depends on two factors: the day of the week the year starts
on and whether the year is a leap year or not.

When Does a Calendar Repeat?

 Same Day of the Week: For a calendar to repeat, the new year
must start on the same day of the week.
 Same Type of Year: Both years must be either leap years or
non-leap years.

General Rule
 A common year (non-leap year) calendar repeats after 6 or 11
years.
 A leap year calendar repeats every 28 years.

Mental Math
Fiurther in the chapter number play, we’ll be doing some mental math.
Observe the figure below. What can you say about the numbers and
the lines drawn?
Numbers in the middle column are added in different ways to get the
numbers on the sides. For example, 1500 + 1500 + 400 = 3400. The
numbers in the middle can be used multiple times to achieve the
desired sum.

Two examples are given. It is simpler to do it mentally!

 38,800 = 25,000 + 400 × 2 + 13,000

 3400 = 1500 + 1500 + 400

Adding and Subtracting: Using the numbers in the boxes, you can
use both addition and subtraction to get the required number.
Example:
39,800 = 40,000 – 800 + 300 + 300

Digits and Operations

 An example of adding two 5-digit numbers to get another 5-digit
number is 12,350 + 24,545 = 36,895.
 An example of subtracting two 5-digit numbers to get another 5-
digit number is 48,952 – 24,547 = 24,405.

Playing with Number Patterns

According to the chapter number play, numbers can form interesting
patterns when arranged in specific ways.

For example, adding numbers in certain figures can reveal a quicker

method to find the sum rather than adding them one by one.

The pattern in the grid consists of two distinct numbers: 32 and 64.

 The number 32 occupies the majority of the grid, filling the top
and left sections.
  The number 64 is located in a rectangular block at the bottom
right and in a vertical column on the left side.

An Unsolved Mystery — The Collatz

Conjecture!
As stated in the chapter number play, the Collatz Conjecture is a
famous unsolved problem in mathematics. The rule is simple:

1. Start with any number.

2. If the number is even, take half of it.
3. If the number is odd, multiply it by 3 and add 1.
4. Repeat.

Eventually, all sequences will reach the number 1, regardless of the

whole number you start with.

Examples:
 21, 64, 32, 16, 8, 4, 2, 1
 22, 11, 34, 17, 52, 26, 13, 40, 20, 10, 5, 16, 8, 4, 2, 1

Simple Estimation
According to the chapter number play, Sometimes, an estimate is
enough instead of an exact count.

Example:

Paromita’s class section has 32 children. The other 2 sections of her

class have 29 and 35 children. So, she estimated the number of
children in her class to be about 100.

Along with Class 6, her school also has Classes 7–10 and each class
has 3 sections each. She assumed a similar number in each class and
estimated the number of students in her school to be around 500.

Games and Winning Strategies

Numbers can also be used to play games and develop winning
strategies.

Game #1

 The first player says 1, 2, or 3.

 Players take turns adding 1, 2, or 3 to the previous number.
 The first player to reach 21 wins!

Play this game several times. Can you figure out the winning strategy?
Which player can always win if they play correctly? There are many
variations of this game

Game #2

 The first player says a number between 1 and 10.

 Players take turns adding a number between 1 and 10 to the
previous number.
 The first player to reach 99 wins!

Try this variation of the game and discover the winning strategy. You
can also create your own variations of these games. Decide how much
one can add at each turn and what number is the winning number.
Play your version several times and figure out the winning strategy.
And that’s it for th chapter number play.

In conclusion, the chapter Number Play in Mathematics for Class 6th

offers an exciting journey through the fascinating world of numbers. It
allows students to explore patterns, play with digits, and dive into
interesting mathematical mysteries like palindromes, Kaprekar’s magic
number, and the Collatz Conjecture. Number Play encourages creative
thinking and strategic problem-solving, making learning numbers fun
and engaging. With its focus on activities and games, Number Play
helps students see numbers as more than just tools for calculation but
as gateways to understanding deeper mathematical concepts.
Whether it’s estimation, digit sums, or playing with numbers on the
number line, Number Play provides a comprehensive foundation for
mastering mathematics.
To read the NCERT text of Class 6 Math Chapter 3 Number Play, click
here.

Practice questions on Chapter 3 - Number

Play
Get your free Chapter 3 - Number Play practice quiz of 20+ questions &
detailed solutions
Practice Now

Math
Chapter 3 - Number Play
One thought on “Number Play – The Best
Guide For Class 6 Math Chapter 3”
1. Ashish yadavsays:

December 6, 2024 at 7:00 pm

Play of numbers

Leave a Comment
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment *

Name *

Email *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I
comment.

The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.