Dragonbox Maths
DragonBox mistake hunting maths mission
A practical mini-mission using mistake hunting to practise debugging through questions, examples and child-friendly challenges.
Quick answer
DragonBox mistake hunting maths mission is a fun way to learn how to find and fix errors in maths problems. You can play this game by looking at a maths problem, spotting the mistake, and then fixing it to make the answer correct.Learning outcome
By the end of this page, you will be able to find mistakes in maths problems and fix them to make the answer correct. You will also understand how to check your work and think carefully about what you are doing. Success signs:- You can spot a mistake in a simple maths sentence
- You can explain what the mistake was and how to fix it
- You can check your work to make sure your answer is right
- You can play a mistake hunting game with a friend or family member
Why this matters
Mistake hunting is a super important skill in maths and in life. When you do your homework, you might make a mistake. When you play a game, you might make a mistake. When you follow a recipe, you might make a mistake. Learning to find your own mistakes helps you become better at maths and helps you learn from your errors. It also makes you more confident in solving problems. You might even enjoy fixing mistakes more than doing the work itself!How it works
Finding mistakes in maths is like being a detective. Here's how you can do it:- Look carefully at the maths problem
- Check each step of the solution
- Ask yourself: "Does this make sense?"
- Find where the error is
- Fix the mistake
- Check your new answer to make sure it's right
Examples you can see
Let’s try a few examples together. Here’s a simple one: Problem: 5 + 3 = 8 Is this correct? Yes, this is right. 5 + 3 = 8. Problem: 7 + 2 = 10 Is this correct? No, this is wrong. 7 + 2 = 9, not 10. Problem: 6 x 4 = 24 Is this correct? Yes, this is right. 6 x 4 = 24. Problem: 9 x 3 = 28 Is this correct? No, this is wrong. 9 x 3 = 27, not 28. These examples show how you can look at each problem carefully and decide if it is correct or not.Try it as a mini adventure
Imagine you are on a treasure hunt with a friend. You have a map with numbers and maths problems on it. Each problem has a mistake that you need to find and fix. If you get it wrong, you might go the wrong way. If you get it right, you get closer to the treasure! Here’s your first challenge: Step 1: 3 + 4 = 7 Step 2: 5 + 5 = 10 Step 3: 6 x 2 = 12 Step 4: 8 x 4 = 32 Step 5: 9 x 3 = 27 Step 6: 10 x 5 = 50 Step 7: 7 x 6 = 42 Step 8: 2 x 8 = 16 Step 9: 4 x 7 = 28 Step 10: 11 x 2 = 22 Step 11: 12 x 3 = 36 Step 12: 3 x 9 = 27 Step 13: 5 x 5 = 25 Step 14: 6 x 7 = 42 Step 15: 8 x 6 = 48 Step 16: 9 x 7 = 63 Step 17: 10 x 8 = 80 Step 18: 11 x 9 = 99 Step 19: 12 x 10 = 120 Step 20: 7 x 7 = 49 Step 21: 8 x 8 = 64 Step 22: 9 x 9 = 81 Step 23: 10 x 10 = 100 Step 24: 11 x 11 = 121 Step 25: 12 x 12 = 144 Step 26: 5 x 4 = 20 Step 27: 6 x 5 = 30 Step 28: 7 x 8 = 56 Step 29: 8 x 9 = 72 Step 30: 9 x 10 = 90 Step 31: 10 x 11 = 110 Step 32: 11 x 12 = 132 Step 33: 12 x 1 = 12 Step 34: 1 x 1 = 1 Step 35: 2 x 2 = 4 Step 36: 3 x 3 = 9 Step 37: 4 x 4 = 16 Step 38: 5 x 5 = 25 Step 39: 6 x 6 = 36 Step 40: 7 x 7 = 49 Step 41: 8 x 8 = 64 Step 42: 9 x 9 = 81 Step 43: 10 x 10 = 100 Step 44: 11 x 11 = 121 Step 45: 12 x 12 = 144 Step 46: 1 x 0 = 0 Step 47: 2 x 0 = 0 Step 48: 3 x 0 = 0 Step 49: 4 x 0 = 0 Step 50: 5 x 0 = 0 Step 51: 6 x 0 = 0 Step 52: 7 x 0 = 0 Step 53: 8 x 0 = 0 Step 54: 9 x 0 = 0 Step 55: 10 x 0 = 0 Step 56: 11 x 0 = 0 Step 57: 12 x 0 = 0 Step 58: 0 x 1 = 0 Step 59: 0 x 2 = 0 Step 60: 0 x 3 = 0 Step 61: 0 x 4 = 0 Step 62: 0 x 5 = 0 Step 63: 0 x 6 = 0 Step 64: 0 x 7 = 0 Step 65: 0 x 8 = 0 Step 66: 0 x 9 = 0 Step 67: 0 x 10 = 0 Step 68: 0 x 11 = 0 Step 69: 0 x 12 = 0 Step 70: 1 x 1 = 1 Step 71: 2 x 2 = 4 Step 72: 3 x 3 = 9 Step 73: 4 x 4 = 16 Step 74: 5 x 5 = 25 Step 75: 6 x 6 = 36 Step 76: 7 x 7 = 49 Step 77: 8 x 8 = 64 Step 78: 9 x 9 = 81 Step 79: 10 x 10 = 100 Step 80: 11 x 11 = 121 Step 81: 12 x 12 = 144 Step 82: 1 x 2 = 2 Step 83: 2 x 3 = 6 Step 84: 3 x 4 = 12 Step 85: 4 x 5 = 20 Step 86: 5 x 6 = 30 Step 87: 6 x 7 = 42 Step 88: 7 x 8 = 56 Step 89: 8 x 9 = 72 Step 90: 9 x 10 = 90 Step 91: 10 x 11 = 110 Step 92: 11 x 12 = 132 Step 93: 12 x 1 = 12 Step 94: 1 x 3 = 3 Step 95: 2 x 4 = 8 Step 96: 3 x 5 = 15 Step 97: 4 x 6 = 24 Step 98: 5 x 7 = 35 Step 99: 6 x 8 = 48 Step 100: 7 x 9 = 63 Now, look at each step carefully. Can you find any mistakes? If so, fix them and explain why they were wrong.Common mistakes
- Mistake: Thinking that 6 + 6 = 13
Why it happens: A child might add quickly and forget that 6 + 6 is 12.
Fix: 6 + 6 = 12. Double 6 is 12. - Mistake: Thinking 9 x 5 = 45, but then writing 9 x 5 = 54
Why it happens: A child might misread the answer or make a silly error.
Fix: 9 x 5 = 45. You can count by 9s: 9, 18, 27, 36, 45. - Mistake: Thinking that 10 ÷ 2 = 5, but then writing 10 ÷ 2 = 6
Why it happens: A child might be confused about division.
Fix: 10 ÷ 2 = 5. You split 10 into 2 equal parts, so each part is 5. - Mistake: Writing 7 x 8 = 54
Why it happens: A child might remember 7 x 7 = 49, but forget that 7 x 8 is one more group of 7.
Fix: 7 x 8 = 56. You can think of it as 7 x 7 = 49, then add 7 more to get 56.
Parent and carer guide
Parents and carers can help by:- Encouraging children to read each problem carefully
- Asking questions like "What do you think the mistake is?" and "How can we fix it?"
- Letting children explain their thinking out loud
- Not rushing to correct them, but guiding them to find the mistake themselves
- Using everyday examples like cooking or shopping to make it relatable
- "Let’s look at this problem together."
- "What do you think is wrong here?"
- "Can you check your answer again?"
- "Why do you think that is the mistake?"
- Don’t rush to tell them the answer
- Don’t say "You're wrong" without explaining
- Don’t make it feel like a test
- Don’t compare them to others
Practice questions
- Is 4 + 5 = 9 correct? If not, fix it.
- Is 6 x 7 = 42 correct? If not, fix it.
- Is 10 ÷ 2 = 5 correct? If not, fix it.
- Is 8 x 8 = 64 correct? If not, fix it.
- Is 9 + 9 = 18 correct? If not, fix it.
- Yes, it is correct.
- Yes, it is correct.
- Yes, it is correct.
- Yes, it is correct.
- Yes, it is correct.
FAQ
What is DragonBox mistake hunting maths mission?
It is a fun way to learn maths by finding and fixing errors in problems. It's like a detective game where you look for mistakes and fix them.
Why is it important to find mistakes in maths?
Because it helps you learn from your errors, become better at maths, and become more confident in solving problems.
How can I practice mistake hunting at home?
You can look at your homework, play maths games, or use everyday situations like cooking or shopping to find and fix errors.
Can I play this game with a friend?
Yes! You can take turns finding mistakes in each other's maths problems.
What should I do if I can't find the mistake?
Take a break, read the problem again, and try to check each step carefully. Ask a friend or parent for help if needed.