The COMPLETE Order of Operations Card Game

Xsquared (X2) Math Card Game

- Proprietary: do not reproduce or share in any form -

Contact [email protected] Property of Peter B. Lakey
 The COMPLETE Order of Operations Card Game

Xsquared is a game like no other. Players create equations out of thin air using their mathematical acuity.
Given the integers 2, 5 and 6 can you create an equation equal to 90 using your operators: parentheses,
exponent, multiply, divide, add, subtract? It’s possible; see if you can find the hidden equation.

Xsquared is a revolutionary new card game that is destined to change the landscape of mathematical
learning, particularly for middle school students. The game is both educational and entertaining. In the
middle grades math students are introduced to the concepts of the Order of Operations. Students
typically build up their knowledge by solving numerous equations that include the elements of the Order
of Operations: parentheses, exponents, multiplication, division, addition and subtraction. Students
apply their knowledge of the rules using a method such as Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally (PEMDAS).
Xsquared is the only game that includes all of the elements of PEMDAS, with physical Operator Cards.
In the Xsquared game, instead of solving Order of Operations equations, players create equations that must
equal randomly selected Solution cards. Players are provided with the tools required to gain an intimate
understanding of the relationships among integers and operators: all of the PEMDAS operators are right
at players’ fingertips. By creating equations rather than just solving them, participants’ understanding of
math rises to the Synthesis level of Bloom’s taxonomy1. Anyone who plays this game will gain a richer
and more complete understanding of both math facts and the Order of Operations.
Once you’ve mastered Xsquared you will never look at numbers the same way again.
It is anticipated that the Xsquared card game will be made available to the general public sometime in 2022.

1
In Bloom, B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. New York:
Longmans, Green.

- Proprietary: do not reproduce or share in any form -

Contact [email protected] Property of Peter B. Lakey
 The COMPLETE Order of Operations Card Game

Standard Play – 2 to 4 Players

Xsquared (X2) Math Card Game - Instructions There are two basic forms to this game: Single Draw and Double Draw.
The objective of the game is to arrange Integer and Operator cards to form an equation Single Draw
that is equal to a Solution card. For instance: (4 + 3) X 5 = 35. A key element of the Players hold Parentheses, an Exponent and each type of Operator card each round.
game is the use of special Exponent cards.
Shuffle the deck of Solution cards; this deck is only shuffled once per Game. Shuffle
The X2 math game consists of 104 total cards: 40 Integer (INT) cards, 28 Operator (OP) the deck of Integer cards; repeat each round. Deal 3 Integer cards to each player.
cards, 24 Solution (SOL) cards, 8 Parenthesis cards and 4 Exponent cards. The Then deal a single Solution card up on the table; all players must try to form an
Parenthesis and Exponent cards are transparent so they can overlay Integer cards. equation to produce the Solution. Turn over the top Integer card and place it next to
the Integer deck. See illustration below.

Play starts with the player to the left of the dealer. The player attempts to arrange
The Integer cards include four each numbered 0 through 9. her Integer and Operator cards to form an equation that is equal to the Solution card.
The Parentheses and Exponent are optional. Three Integer and two Operator cards
must be used in the solution. The solution must adhere to the universal order of
mathematical operations, aka Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally (PEMDAS).
If the player cannot form an exact equation, she must draw one Integer card. She
may choose the card facing up or select the top card on the deck.
Once drawn, the player attempts to form a correct equation with 3 Integer cards and
2 Operator cards (plus the optional cards). If she can find a correct equation she
organizes her cards and exclaims “Done Deal!” and discards the unused card. Then
she reveals her solution to her opponents. If it is correct the round is over. If incorrect
then she is disqualified from the round. If the player does not have the solution she
The Operator cards include six each of plus (+), minus (-), times (X) and divided by (÷). must discard. The player to her left takes the next turn. That player follows the exact
There are also four WILD operator cards that can apply any operator. same procedure, attempting to construct a solution.
Play for each round continues in this manner until someone finds a correct
solution, declares “Done Deal!” and shows the correct solution. That player
keeps the Solution card and holds it until the end of the Game.
At the end of each round, scores are added to the cumulative score. a new
Solution card is selected for each round. Play continues until all of the Solution
cards are used, or until a specified point value is reached (e.g. 500) by summing
the values of Solution cards held by each player. The player with the most total
points on her cards (or to reach the target first) is the Game winner.
Double Draw
The Solution cards include the following numbers: 10, 15, 16, 20, 25, 30, 35, 36, 40, 45, Play is similar except that Operator cards are drawn instead of held in this version.
49, 50, 55, 60, 64, 65, 70, 75, 80, 81, 85, 90, 95 and 99. Solution cards include only 2- Each player is dealt 3 Integer cards and 2 Operator cards. See illustration below.
digit numbers: the smallest and largest, all multiples of 5, and all perfect squares.

Exponent Cards
Players may draw one card from either the Integer deck or Operator deck.
A primary strategy of this game revolves around the Exponent cards. This card is used Players must discard the same type of card that is drawn. Play continues until
to square the value of the selected Integer or expression. For instance, 72 = 49, or (6 + one of the players obtains a correct solution, just like in Single Draw.
4 – 1)2 = 81. The Exponent card is important because it provides the players with  Fractions are ILLEGAL (e.g. 5 / 2 X 6 = 15 is an invalid representation)
significantly more combinations of possible Solutions than playing without it.  Negative expressions are LEGAL (e.g. 72 – (3 – 9) = 55 is a valid solution)

- Proprietary: do not reproduce or share in any form -

Contact [email protected] Property of Peter B. Lakey
 The COMPLETE Order of Operations Card Game

Example Solutions 7-Card

In this version, seven cards are used instead of five. That is, four Integer cards and
three Operator cards must be used in the solution. In Single Draw, four Integer cards
are dealt to each player. In Double Draw, four Integer cards and three Operator cards
are dealt to each player. Players must use seven cards (four Integer and three
Operator) in their equations. Parentheses and Exponent are optional. The 7-Card
Double Draw version is a great exercise for advanced players. It requires more
thinking, but there are vastly more numerical combinations with four integers.
Community Play – Up to 8 Players
In this version a set of playing cards is placed face up in the middle of a table. It starts
2 with the Parenthesis and Exponent cards. Then the dealer places 3 Integer cards and
7 X 8 + 2 = 60 2 Operator cards face up (for 5-card play) on the table, along with a Solution card.
Then deal 3 Integer cards and 2 Operator cards to each of the players. In this version
the players take turns replacing one of the cards in their hands with one on the table.
No cards are drawn in community play, just replaced.

2
(4 + 1) X 3 = 45

Alternative Play Each player must replace one card – either an Integer card or Operator card. When
doing so, the player attempts to create an equation that equals the Solution card.
Open Solution Each player may rearrange the cards however she wishes. The play continues until
one of the players has created the correct equation. That player gets to keep the
This version is played the same way as Single Draw except that instead of just one
Solution card. Play continues until all of the Solution cards are used up.
Solution card being used each round, all Solution cards are placed face up on the
table at the beginning of the Game. Players use the three Integer cards dealt to them The community version is good at parties and when first learning how to play.
and their Parentheses, Exponent and Operator cards to find an equation that matches Parentheses Squared
any of the remaining Solution cards. When obtaining a solution, the player takes that
card and holds onto it until the Game is over. Play continues until all Solution cards are In this version two Integer cards and one Operator card are dealt to each player
consumed by the players. At the end of the Game the players add up the values of (Double Draw). A Solution card is dealt face up; in this game only the 16, 25, 36, 49,
each of the Solution cards they hold. The player with the most points wins the Game. 64, and 81 Solution cards are used because the solution must be a perfect square.
Players must use their 3 cards inside of the parentheses so that the expression
squared equals the Solution. For instance (8 - 1)2 = 49.
A new Solution card is selected each round. This version takes relatively little time to
play and is good for people who are really “square.”
No Excuse
Remove Exponent cards, then the game is simplified to just PMDAS, without the E.
Play will take longer as the number of possible solutions it limited. Remove the 95
Solution card because it is infeasible with three Integer cards and no Exponent.
Scoring Variants
In Standard Play there are numerous options for scoring. Summing the values of
Solution cards is one way. Simply counting the number of Solution cards is another.
A game could be considered complete based on a target number being achieved (e.g.
500 points) or based on a specified number of Solution cards (e.g. 10).

- Proprietary: do not reproduce or share in any form -

Contact [email protected] Property of Peter B. Lakey