Math Hangman
by David Pleacher in the Virginia Mathematics Teacher Spring 1982
The teacher divides the class into two teams. Each team
writes down one math word which they have learned during the
year. The teacher collects the two words and records the appropriate number of blanks on the board for each secret word. The
object of the game is to be the first to guess the opposing
team's word before hanging your man.
Play alternates back and forth between teams. When a team
answers a math question about the current work, the team may
either guess a letter in their secret word or guess the word. If
the team guesses a letter in their secret word, the teacher
fills in all the appropriate blanks with this letter. If the
team correctly guesses the word, the team is required to spell
the word and wins the game. An incorrect guess of either a
letter or a word results in the addition of one part (head,
trunk, an arm, or a leg) of the body to the man to be hung. If
a team hangs their man before guessing their secret word, the
opposing team is declared winner. The teacher records all
incorrect letters and words below the blanks so that a team will
not use it again.