LEGO Games stud budgets maths mission

Quick answer

Learning outcome

• You can explain what a stud budget is and why it's useful
• You can work out how many studs you have left after making a choice
• You can compare different LEGO designs and decide which is best for your budget
• You can create your own LEGO design plan using a budget

Why this matters

How it works

1. You start with a certain number of studs (like having money in your pocket)
2. You choose which LEGO bricks you want to buy
3. You count how many studs each brick costs
4. You add up your total spending
5. You check if you have enough studs left for your next choice
6. You plan your build based on what you can afford

Examples you can see

• Small brick = 2 studs
• Medium brick = 4 studs
• Large brick = 8 studs
• Window = 3 studs
• Door = 5 studs

• 10 small bricks
• 5 medium bricks
• 2 large bricks
• 1 window
• 1 door

• 10 small bricks = 10 × 2 = 20 studs
• 5 medium bricks = 5 × 4 = 20 studs
• 2 large bricks = 2 × 8 = 16 studs
• 1 window = 3 studs
• 1 door = 5 studs

• Small brick = 2 studs
• Medium brick = 4 studs
• Large brick = 8 studs
• Wheel = 6 studs
• Engine = 10 studs

• 8 small bricks
• 3 medium bricks
• 1 large brick
• 4 wheels
• 1 engine

• 8 small bricks = 8 × 2 = 16 studs
• 3 medium bricks = 3 × 4 = 12 studs
• 1 large brick = 1 × 8 = 8 studs
• 4 wheels = 4 × 6 = 24 studs
• 1 engine = 10 studs

Try it as a mini adventure

• Small bricks (2 studs each)
• Medium bricks (4 studs each)
• Large bricks (8 studs each)

• Gate (5 studs)
• Tower (12 studs)
• Moat (15 studs)

• 10 small bricks = 20 studs
• 5 medium bricks = 20 studs
• 3 large bricks = 24 studs
• 1 tower = 12 studs
• 1 moat = 15 studs

Common mistakes

• Mistake: Not checking if your total adds up to your budget
  Why it happens: When you're excited about building, you might forget to count your spending.
  Fix: Always add up your spending and compare it to your budget. If you go over, you need to remove some blocks.
• Mistake: Thinking that bigger bricks always cost more
  Why it happens: Children sometimes assume that because a brick is larger, it costs more, but that's not always true.
  Fix: Always check the price of each brick before buying it. A small brick might cost more than a large one!
• Mistake: Not planning ahead
  Why it happens: Without planning, you might spend all your studs on one thing and have nothing left for the rest of your build.
  Fix: Draw a plan first, then decide what you can afford. Think about how many of each type of brick you want.
• Mistake: Forgetting to count how many studs you have left
  Why it happens: It's easy to get lost in the fun of building and forget to track your spending.
  Fix: Keep a running total of how many studs you've spent and how many you have left. You can write it down or use counters.

Parent and carer guide

• Starting with a simple budget, like 20 or 30 studs, for younger children
• Using real LEGO bricks or counters to show how many studs each piece costs
• Encouraging children to plan their build before they start
• Letting children make mistakes and learn from them rather than telling them what to do
• Helping children count their spending and check their totals
• Using the mission as a way to practice multiplication and addition skills
• Discussing why certain choices were better than others
• Encouraging children to think about how they could spend their studs differently next time
• Not worrying if the build doesn't turn out exactly as planned – that's part of the learning!

Practice questions

1. You have 40 studs to spend. You buy 5 small bricks (2 studs each) and 3 medium bricks (4 studs each). How many studs do you have left?
2. You have 60 studs. You want to build a bridge with 10 small bricks (2 studs each) and 4 large bricks (8 studs each). How many studs will you spend?
3. You have 80 studs. You buy 6 medium bricks (4 studs each) and 2 large bricks (8 studs each). How many studs do you have left?
4. You have 35 studs. You buy 4 small bricks (2 studs each), 2 medium bricks (4 studs each), and 1 large brick (8 studs each). How many studs do you have left?
5. You have 100 studs. You want to build a spaceship with 8 small bricks (2 studs each), 3 medium bricks (4 studs each), and 2 large bricks (8 studs each). How many studs will you spend?

1. 40 - (5 × 2 + 3 × 4) = 40 - (10 + 12) = 40 - 22 = 18 studs
2. (10 × 2) + (4 × 8) = 20 + 32 = 52 studs
3. 80 - (6 × 4 + 2 × 8) = 80 - (24 + 16) = 80 - 40 = 40 studs
4. 35 - (4 × 2 + 2 × 4 + 1 × 8) = 35 - (8 + 8 + 8) = 35 - 24 = 11 studs
5. (8 × 2) + (3 × 4) + (2 × 8) = 16 + 12 + 16 = 44 studs

FAQ

What is a stud budget?

A stud budget is like having money to spend. In LEGO Games, you have a certain number of studs to spend on building blocks. You need to plan carefully to make sure you don't spend more than you have.

Can I use any number of studs?

Yes! You can use any number of studs for your budget. It can be 20, 50, 100, or even more. The more studs you have, the more you can build.

Why do I need to plan my build?

Planning helps you make the most of your studs. If you don't plan, you might spend all your studs on one thing and have nothing left for the rest of your build. Planning helps you make choices and build something amazing!

What happens if I go over my budget?

If you go over your budget, you need to remove some blocks from your build. This teaches you to think carefully about what's most important in your design and to make choices about how to spend your studs.

Can I use this with real LEGO bricks?

Absolutely! You can use real LEGO bricks and count the studs to practice your budgeting skills. This makes your learning more real and exciting!