Super Mario Maker Maths
Super Mario Maker fair challenge design maths mission
A practical mini-mission using fair challenge design to practise problem solving through questions, examples and child-friendly challenges.
Quick answer
By designing a fair challenge in Super Mario Maker, you can learn how to solve problems, share things equally, and make fair decisions using maths.Learning outcome
By the end of this page, you will be able to design a fair challenge in Super Mario Maker that uses maths to make sure everyone playing gets an equal chance to win. Success signs:- You can explain what makes a challenge fair
- You can use numbers to plan how many players, coins, or lives each person gets
- You can make a challenge where everyone has the same chance to succeed
- You can solve simple maths problems to make your challenge work
Why this matters
Super Mario Maker is a fun way to learn about fairness and problem solving. When you design a challenge, you're using maths to make sure everyone gets a fair chance. This helps you learn how to share, count, and solve problems. These skills are useful in games, school, and real life when you need to make fair choices or plan something for a group of friends.How it works
Designing a fair challenge in Super Mario Maker means using maths to make sure:- Everyone has the same number of lives or coins
- The challenge is not too easy or too hard
- Everyone can play and have fun
- You can count how many players are in your challenge
Examples you can see
Let’s imagine you’re making a Mario challenge for 4 friends. You need to make sure everyone gets the same number of coins or lives. Here’s how you might plan it:| Number of Players | Coins per Player | Lives per Player |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 10 coins | 3 lives |
| 6 | 6 coins | 2 lives |
| 8 | 5 coins | 2 lives |
Try it as a mini adventure
Mario’s Fair Challenge Quest You are Mario, and you need to design a challenge for your friends. You have 30 coins and 5 friends to share them with. You also have 15 lives to share equally.- First time: How many coins does each friend get?
- Second time: How many lives does each friend get?
- Third time: What happens if one friend doesn’t want to play anymore?
- Fourth time: Can you make a new challenge with 6 players?
Common mistakes
- Mistake: Not sharing coins or lives equally between players
Why it happens: Kids might think it’s okay for one person to get more coins if they’re better at the game.
Fix: Use division to make sure everyone gets the same amount. - Mistake: Making the challenge too hard for some players
Why it happens: Kids might not think about how hard a challenge is for others.
Fix: Try the challenge yourself or with a friend to see if it’s fair. - Mistake: Not counting how many players are in the challenge
Why it happens: Kids might forget to include all friends or count wrong.
Fix: Use your fingers or draw a picture to count players.
Parent and carer guide
As a parent or carer, you can help by:- Encouraging your child to plan their challenge with numbers
- Asking questions like, “How many coins will each friend get?”
- Helping them count or draw to solve problems
- Letting them make mistakes and learn from them
- Reinforcing that fairness means everyone gets the same chance
- “Can you count how many players are in your challenge?”
- “How will you make sure everyone gets the same number of coins?”
- “What happens if one friend doesn’t want to play?”
- They might not get the right answer at first
- They might not make a perfect challenge
- They might want to change things a lot
Practice questions
- If you have 24 coins and 4 players, how many coins does each player get?
- If you have 18 lives and 6 players, how many lives does each player get?
- If you have 30 coins and 5 players, how many coins does each player get?
- If you have 12 lives and 3 players, how many lives does each player get?
- If you have 20 coins and 4 players, how many coins does each player get?
- 24 ÷ 4 = 6 coins
- 18 ÷ 6 = 3 lives
- 30 ÷ 5 = 6 coins
- 12 ÷ 3 = 4 lives
- 20 ÷ 4 = 5 coins
FAQ
What is a fair challenge?
A fair challenge is one where everyone has the same chance to win, and everyone gets the same number of coins or lives.
How do I make sure everyone gets the same coins?
You divide the total number of coins by the number of players. For example, 12 coins and 3 players means 12 ÷ 3 = 4 coins each.
Can I make a challenge for any number of players?
Yes! You can make a challenge for 2, 3, 4, 5, or more players. Just make sure you share the coins and lives equally.
Why is it important to make a fair challenge?
It makes sure everyone has fun and feels included. It also helps you practice maths skills like division and sharing.
Can I use Super Mario Maker to practice other maths skills?
Yes! You can also practice counting, patterns, and even simple addition and subtraction when you design your challenge.