Life With My Geek – The Number Game

One of the games we like here at Chez Star is the Pick A Number game.  Pick a number between one and ten, between one and twenty, between one and one hundred.  Definitely not rocket science, but we’re interacting and not watching TV, and sometimes it’s the best we can come up with.

Last night’s game was played by the 7 and 9 year old.  Ubernerd boy (12) sat sullenly on the side lines, refusing to play because “it’s stupid”.  After a few rounds, the light bulb lit up for ubernerd boy, who was beginning to see the mathematical strategy for winning the game.  The game suddenly becomes very interesting for him and he joins in.

Usually the adult picks the number, because at Chez Star you can’t trust the kids not to change the number mid game.  Little cheaters.  But we were having fun, so when the kids asked for a turn picking the numbers, I gave in. 

Mason picks a number.  Bow guesses 19, Belle guesses 17, Mom guesses 10.

Bow:  What’s the number?

Mason:  Pi.  Mom wins.

Belle:  Pi?  What’s that?

Mason:  3 point one….

Bow:  Point?  That’s not a number.

Mason:  Yes it is.  Three point one…

Bow:  Point is not a number.

Mason:  Well, it’s not a whole number.  But it’s a very important number.  If you wanted me to pick a whole number, you should have told me to pick an integer.  But you said number, not integer, so I picked pi.