PAT Bank

Prime Factor Relay (Middle School)

Author:

Toby Abrahamsen
Seneca Ridge Middle School
Virginia

Subject:

Math

Objective:

Prime Factorization

Materials and Preparation:

Chalkboard and chalk for each team.

Student Grouping:

3 or 4 groups of 4 students

The Play:

1. Have students line up behind a player number 1 (P#1).
2. The teacher will announce a number, and P#1 will go to the board, write the number, and draw 2 lines for the next person.
3. P#1 will then return to his/her team, give the chalk to the next person in line, P#2.
4. P#2 will go to the board and write down 2 factors of the original number and pass the chalk to P#3.
5. P#3 lists the factors of the numbers P#2 has written - this continues until the prime factorization has been found.
6. When a player writes a prime number, they must circle it.
7. Once all prime numbers have been circled, the prime factorization must be written on the board.

Scoring:

The first team to write the prime factorization of the original number wins a point.

Further Play:

• If a student doesn't know what the next step is, they can pass to the next player in line.
• If students yell out the answer to a teammate, a time penalty can be given for the next round

Diagram/Example:

Comments or Variations:

You can also use this for LCM, GCF, or simplifying fractions (works great with prealgebra and variables).