LEGO Games minifigure teams maths mission

Quick answer

You can use LEGO minifigure teams to learn division by sharing objects equally between teams and working out how many each team gets.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will be able to divide a number of objects equally between teams and find how many each team gets.

Success signs:

• You can share 12 LEGO minifigures into 3 teams and say how many are in each team.
• You can explain what happens when you divide by 1 or by 12.
• You can solve a division problem using objects or drawings.
• You can work out how many teams you can make if you know how many minifigures and how many go in each team.

Why this matters

Division is a key part of maths that helps you share things fairly. When you play games, cook, or even divide your pocket money, you use division. With LEGO minifigures, you can pretend to be a team leader and learn how to share your LEGO army fairly.

Division helps you understand how many groups you can make and how many items are in each group. This is useful for many real-life situations, like sharing snacks, splitting up toys, or planning a football team.

How it works

Division is about sharing things equally. If you have 12 LEGO minifigures and want to split them into 3 teams, you need to find out how many go in each team. You can do this by:

1. Counting all the minifigures.
2. Deciding how many teams you want.
3. Sharing the minifigures equally between the teams.
4. Counting how many are in each team.

This is written as: 12 ÷ 3 = 4. It means 12 minifigures shared into 3 teams gives 4 in each team.

Examples you can see

Let’s imagine you have a LEGO Games mission with 10 minifigures. You want to split them into 2 teams. How many minifigures are in each team?

• Start with 10 minifigures.
• Split them into 2 equal teams.
• Each team gets 5 minifigures.

This is: 10 ÷ 2 = 5.

Another example: You have 15 minifigures and want to make 3 teams.

• 15 minifigures ÷ 3 teams = 5 in each team.

Try this: You have 8 minifigures and want to make 4 teams.

• 8 ÷ 4 = 2 in each team.

You can also use arrays to show division:

Here, 6 minifigures shared into 2 teams gives 3 each, and 6 shared into 3 teams gives 2 each.

Try it as a mini adventure

LEGO Games Mission: The Minifigure Team Challenge

You are the leader of a LEGO Games mission. You have 12 minifigures and must split them into teams for a battle. You need to solve division problems to decide how many teams you can make or how many minifigures go in each team.

1. First mission: You have 12 minifigures. You want to make 4 teams. How many minifigures go in each team?
2. Second mission: You have 18 minifigures. You want 3 teams. How many minifigures go in each team?
3. Third mission: You have 20 minifigures. Each team needs 5 minifigures. How many teams can you make?

Adventure tip: Draw your teams or use actual minifigures to help you solve each problem!

Common mistakes

• Mistake: Thinking that 10 ÷ 2 = 5 and 10 ÷ 5 = 2, but getting confused about which number is the total and which is the number of teams.
• Why it happens: Mixing up what each number means in the division problem.
• Fix: Always ask, “How many things are there in total?” and “How many teams do I want?”

• Mistake: Forgetting that 0 divided by any number is 0.
• Why it happens: Not understanding that if you have no items to share, each team gets none.
• Fix: Remember: 0 ÷ 5 = 0. If you have 0 minifigures, each team gets 0 minifigures.

• Mistake: Thinking 12 ÷ 3 = 4, but confusing it with multiplication (3 x 4 = 12).
• Why it happens: Mixing up division and multiplication.
• Fix: Use objects or drawings to show sharing, not just memorising facts.

Parent and carer guide

Help your child understand division with LEGO minifigures by:

• Using actual minifigures or toys to show sharing.
• Asking questions like, “If you have 10 cookies and 2 friends, how many cookies does each friend get?”
• Reinforcing that division means sharing equally.
• Encouraging your child to draw pictures or use blocks to solve problems.
• Practising with everyday items like fruits, coins, or toys.

Remember: Don’t rush. Let your child explore and make mistakes. It’s part of learning!

Practice questions

1. 12 minifigures divided into 3 teams. How many in each team?
2. 18 minifigures divided into 6 teams. How many in each team?
3. 24 minifigures divided into 4 teams. How many in each team?
4. 15 minifigures divided into 5 teams. How many in each team?
5. 10 minifigures divided into 2 teams. How many in each team?

Answers:

1. 12 ÷ 3 = 4
2. 18 ÷ 6 = 3
3. 24 ÷ 4 = 6
4. 15 ÷ 5 = 3
5. 10 ÷ 2 = 5

FAQ

What is division?

Division is sharing things equally. For example, if you have 10 apples and 2 friends, you can divide them so each friend gets 5 apples.

Why is division useful?

Division helps you share things fairly, like food, toys, or even points in a game. It’s used in many real-life situations.

Can I use LEGO minifigures to learn division?

Yes! You can use minifigures to show how many are in each team when you split them up.

What happens when you divide by 0?

You can’t divide by 0. If you have 0 minifigures, you can’t split them into teams because there are no minifigures to share.

How can I practice division at home?

You can use LEGO minifigures, toys, or even food items to practice sharing equally and solving division problems.