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A numbers game
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Jacob Duran (left), Daniel Batrick, and Kevin Rabinera (right) took a break from their very intense round of Math 24 to eat some sweets for energy.
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Once a student knows how the numbers work together to equal 24, they first must tap the center of the card to answer. Hannah Blake used her quick reflexes to solve her card first.
By SARAH FOOR
The fifth- and sixth-graders of McKinley Elementary are hooked on ‘24.’ No, it’s not the television series, but the number itself.
The school’s Math 24 team spent its Jan. 6 practice poring over colorful cards that show four numbers the students must add, subtract, multiply, and divide to equal 24.
Being their last practice before the Youngstown Christian Academy area competition Jan. 12, club adviser and McKinley math teacher Pam Yost said the stakes are high, but the atmosphere is friendly.
“We’re going as a team, but the kids play as individuals. Still, I know that if one of our own won, we would be very happy. We worked together on it all along, so whoever wins represents all of us.”
Jacob Duran, playing a round of the game with his friends Daniel Batrick and Kevin Rabinera, explained why he likes Math 24.
“You have to do good math, and you have to do it fast. I have to use everything I know in about two seconds.”
Watching her students getting excited about using math, Yost said she can’t ask for much more.
“Believe me, I know this subject can get a bit dry. But Math 24 makes it fun. I’m happy we do it, and we’re going to do great at competition.”