Board game apparatus and method of play

The present invention comprises a board game for teaching basic arithmetic and mathematical operations to small children and others in need of such skills. The game board includes a continuous rectangular peripheral playing path having a series of playing positions therealong, with each of the positions requiring a player to accept or pay out an amount of simulated currency. The goal is for a player to reach a predetermined monetary total, whereupon the player may purchase an imaginary "dream trip" with the accrued money. For very young persons beginning to learn basic addition and subtraction, this first level of the game may be sufficient. However, the present game also provides higher levels, in which players are required to perform some higher mathematical operation using a random number generation device (dice, etc.) to provide the numbers to be manipulated mathematically, before being able to advance along the playing path. Play proceeds as described above for each level, with the first player who accrues the predetermined amount of currency and purchasing a "dream trip" winning that level or round of the game.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Inventon 
The present invention relates generally to games involving elements of 
chance and skill, and more particularly to a board game for teaching and 
enforcing basic arithmetic and mathematical skills in children and others. 
The game comprises a board having a peripheral playing path containing 
instructions which result in the gain or loss of simulated currency by 
players as they travel the game board path. The game (or a given level or 
stage of the game) is ended when one player accrues a predetermined amount 
of the simulated currency and exchanges it for an imaginary or "dream 
trip," or when one player becomes insolvent. Higher levels or stages of 
the game involve the answering of arithmetic questions or problems, or the 
working of mathematical operations, by players before they are allowed to 
advance along the playing path. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
Arithmetic and mathematical skills are often difficult for children to 
acquire. The abstract use and manipulation of numbers is not generally an 
inherently obvious operation to most children, and the application of such 
operations to something which they can readily see or use, is often of 
great assistance in teaching basic arithmetic and mathematics to children 
and others. 
One means of teaching such skills to children is through the use of a game 
developed for such purposes. Games have long been used not only as 
recreational activities, but various games have been developed which may 
teach children and others various skills which may be needed in the course 
of their lives. The playing of an appropriate game is a relatively 
"painless" means of learning some skill or activity, and accordingly, 
various games providing for the teaching of some skill or the like, have 
been developed in the past. However, such games differ from the present 
board game in various ways, as will be pointed out below in the discussion 
of the related art of which the present inventors are aware. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,104,106 issued on Sep. 17, 1963 to James T. Kenney et al. 
describes an Arithmetical Teaching Aid Game comprising a game board having 
a peripheral playing path with branches extending inwardly therefrom. 
Players must solve various fractional arithmetic problems, but assistance 
is provided in the form of semicircular segments comprising fractions of a 
circle, with which players may work out solutions to various problems. The 
Kenney et al. game is more akin to a race, as players must complete one 
circuit of the board and then proceed to the end of one of the branch 
paths to win the game. The present game does not require the completion of 
any specific distance along the playing path, but provides simulated 
currency and rewards the first player to accrue a predetermined sum of 
currency with a "dream trip." Also, Kenney et al. provide only one level 
of play, while the present game may provide up to three different levels 
of increasing difficulty. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,666 issued on Jun. 12, 1990 to Kenneth R. Corle 
describes a Method Of Playing A Travel Board Game. The object of the game 
is more closely related to that of the Kenney et al. game discussed 
immediately above than to the present game, in that the winner is the 
first player to complete the entire playing path disposed upon the board. 
Corle mentions the determination of the winner as the player having the 
greatest amount of simulated currency at the end of the game, but still 
requires all players to reach the final playing position on the board. 
This is not a required part of the present game. Geographical (not 
arithmetic or mathematical) questions are asked of players during the 
course of the game, and rewards or penalties of playing position or 
simulated currency are imposed. No positional or financial penalties are 
imposed for incorrect answers in the present game, other than that an 
incorrect answer precludes the player from advancing. Corle provides only 
a single level of play in his game, unlike the three levels of increasing 
difficulty provided in the present game. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,108 issued on Jan. 29, 1991 to Howard F. Shepard 
describes a Question And Answer Geography Board Game comprising a map of a 
specific geopolitical area and a corresponding peripheral playing path. 
Players travel the path and answer questions about areas on the board 
corresponding to their particular location along the path. Points are 
awarded for correct answers. No simulated currency or different levels of 
play are provided by Shepard, as are provided for the play of the present 
game. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,339 issued on Apr. 7, 1992 to Larry L. Parriera 
describes a Mathematical Education Game comprising a plurality of parallel 
paths on a board. Each of the paths has a starting point, an end point, 
and a series of mathematical symbols thereon, directing players to perform 
mathematical operations according to the specific symbol when they alight 
on a position containing such a symbol. The first player to pass the end 
point of his or her playing path is the winner. No simulated financial or 
travel rewards are given to the players, nor are any different levels of 
play provided, as are provided by the present game. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,140 issued on Apr. 11, 1995 to Joyce A. Terlinden et 
al. describes a Family Vacation Board Game including a geopolitical map of 
the United States with a plurality of separate playing paths thereacross. 
The object of the game is to answer geographical questions correctly in 
order to advance playing pieces along a round trip over the routes and 
back to the starting position. The game is thus a "race" type game, with 
the first player to reach the start/end position exactly, being the 
winner. No mathematical operations are required during the course of play 
of the Terlinden et al. game, while the present game requires such 
operations in order for players to advance. Terlinden et al. do not 
provide different levels of increasing difficulty in their game, while the 
present game provides such levels as an option for players as agreed upon 
before the start of the game. 
U.S. Pat. No. D-331,949 issued on Dec. 22, 1992 to Adelbert E. Richardson 
et al. illustrates a design for a Game Board having a periphery containing 
the two letter postal identifiers for the forty eight contiguous U.S. 
states. No mathematical symbols are shown on the board, and no means for 
accomplishing mathematical operations or method of play is described. 
U.S. Pat. No. D-333,847 issued on Mar. 9, 1993 to Kinney Redding 
illustrates a Game Board having an unmarked peripheral playing path and 
apparently a representation of the earth in the center thereof. No 
mathematical symbols, means for accomplishing mathematical operations, or 
method of play is disclosed. 
British Pat. Publication No. 2,198,361 published on Jun. 15, 1988 to John 
Powell describes an Educational Game directed to teaching children of the 
potential dangers of child molestation. Play proceeds about a continuous 
looped path in a "race" format, with the winner being the first player to 
reach the starting point after completing the path. No mathematical 
operations or simulated award or currency is provided, as provided in the 
present game. 
Finally, British Pat. Publication No. 2,205,762 published on Dec. 21, 1988 
to Christopher E. Murphy et al. describes a Board Game comprising a 
convoluted playing path simulating a boat canal. Players compete to travel 
portions of the path to different points, simulating the pickup, carriage, 
and delivery of cargo along the canal. This is a "race" game, with the 
first player to complete the designated path being the winner. No 
mathematical operations are provided or required in the play of the game. 
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in 
combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. 
SUMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention comprises a board game for teaching basic arithmetic 
and mathematical operations to small children and others in need of such 
skills. The game board includes a continuous rectangular peripheral 
playing path having a series of playing positions therealong, with each of 
the positions requiring a player to accept or pay out an amount of 
simulated currency. The goal is for a player to reach a predetermined 
monetary total, whereupon the player may purchase an imaginary "dream 
trip" with the accrued money. For very young persons beginning to learn 
basic addition and subtraction, this first level of the game may be 
sufficient. However, the present game also provides higher levels, in 
which players are required to perform some higher mathematical operation 
using random number generation means to provide the numbers to be 
manipulated mathematically, before being able to advance along the playing 
path. Play proceeds as described above for each level, with the first 
player who accrues the predetermined amount of currency and purchasing a 
"dream trip" winning that level or round of the game. Alternatively, each 
level of the game is ended when one of the players is "bankrupt," and has 
paid out all of his or her simulated currency. 
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an 
improved board game including means of teaching basic arithmetic and 
mathematical skills to the players thereof. 
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved board game 
which includes a game board having a peripheral path comprising a 
plurality of separate playing positions, each of which requires the 
acceptance or payout of an amount of simulated currency by a player 
terminating a move upon the given position. 
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved board game 
wherein the first player to accrue a predetermined amount of currency may 
purchase an imaginary trip, thereby winning the game. 
An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved board game 
in which optional additional levels are provided, which require players to 
perform some arithmetic or mathematical operation before proceeding. 
Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved board game 
including random number generating means to provide players with the 
numbers for such arithmetic or mathematical operation. 
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and 
arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is 
inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended 
purposes. 
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon 
review of the following specification and drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The present invention comprises a board game for two or more players, for 
teaching children and others the basics of arithmetic and mathematical 
operations, such as addition, subtraction, and multiplication. The game is 
structured with up to three levels, so very small children just beginning 
to have a grasp of numbers may still learn the basic concepts of addition 
and subtraction, yet more advanced children and players may proceed to 
levels which demand somewhat more knowledge of arithmetic. 
FIG. 1 discloses the game board 10 used in the play of the game. The game 
board 10 has a continuous peripheral playing path 12 comprising a series 
of contiguous individual playing positions, generally indicated by the 
reference numeral 14. Each playing position 14 includes some instruction 
thereon, instructing a player to make a monetary transaction of some sort 
depending upon the specific playing position upon which the player's move 
terminates. All play is started from the start position 14a, with each 
player receiving $10.00 as a simulated "allowance" to begin the game. 
The remaining playing positions each include some instruction providing 
payment in some form to the player, e. g., "Earn $2.00, Birthday card from 
Grandma" as indicated at the position 14b, or to make a payment of some 
sort, e. g., "Donate $3, Toys for Tots" as indicated at the position 14c. 
Thus, all of the positions 14 may be divided into two groups, with a first 
group (e.g., position 14b) rewarding the player with payment of some sort, 
and a second group (e. g., position 14c) requiring payment from the 
player. 
The game board 10 further includes an arithmetic table card or mathematical 
problem card position 16, for an arithmetic table card (FIGS. 4A and 4B) 
or a mathematical problem card (FIG. 5B). The operation space 18 is 
provided for an operation card (FIG. 5A). The function of these cards is 
discussed further below. 
A plurality of player position markers 20 is also provided, with each 
player using one of the markers 20 to mark his or her progress along the 
playing path 12 of the game board 10. Each of the markers 20 is preferably 
raised, in order to provide a better grip for handling the markers 20, and 
includes a pattern or representation thereon, either flat or in relief. 
The pattern of each marker 20 is distinct from each other marker 20, so 
that each player has a unique marker 20 to mark his or her progress about 
the board 10 during the play of the game. Other types of markers (small 
models or representations of various articles, etc.) may also be used, as 
desired. 
The game is initiated by allowing the players to select individual player 
position markers 20, and determining the order of play, as indicated by 
the first step 50 in the method of play diagram of FIG. 7. The chance 
means used in the play of the present game may be used to determine the 
order of play, as well as for determining the distance of each player's 
move and other factors in the game. Conventional cubical dice, having 
their six faces each numbered from one to six, have been found to work 
well as random number generation means for the present game, but other 
random number generation means may be used as well, if desired. 
The players will also determine the level at which the present game is to 
be played at this step, before starting the game. This is done by mutual 
consensus of the players. As noted above, the present game may incorporate 
up to three different levels, with younger children only beginning to gain 
a grasp of numbers, likely choosing to remain at the first level of the 
game. 
Once the player position markers, order of play, and level of play have 
been determined, and the "allowance" of simulated currency has been 
provided as indicated by the second step 52 of FIG. 7, the first player 
tosses two dice and uses their combined total to determine the rest 
position of his or her player position marker 20 for that move. Assuming 
one die turned up a four, and the second die turned up a three, the player 
would move his or her position marker 20 seven positions, to the position 
14d, "Pay $2.00 for a video." The player would pay $2.00 of the $10.00 
received as "allowance" at the beginning of the game. (Simulated currency 
in $5.00 and $1.00 denominations, respectively indicated by the reference 
numerals 22 and 24, are shown respectively in FIGS. 6A and 6B.) The game 
may also be used to teach children to make change, if it is necessary for 
the player to change a larger denomination during play. 
At the first level of play, play continues in the above manner, with each 
of the players alternating turns and paying out or receiving payment 
according to each of the board positions 14 upon which their markers are 
placed according to their respective moves. This is indicated by the third 
step 54 of FIG. 7. 
The goal of the present game is to be the first player to accrue sufficient 
funds using the simulated currency 22 and 24 of the present game, to 
provide for the purchase of an imaginary trip or voyage to a distant 
locale. The cost of such an imaginary trip is $30.00, by the present 
rules. A review of all of the player positions 14 about the board 
periphery will show that adding and subtracting the monetary amounts of 
each of the positions 14 in one lap around the board 10, results in a net 
increase of $19.00 (or $29.00, if the starting position 14a is counted at 
the beginning of the second lap). As the average move using two 
conventional dice will be about seven positions, it will be seen that it 
will take approximately seven laps around the board 10 for a player to 
accrue $30.00 in the simulated currency used in the present game, to 
purchase such an imaginary trip. This is reasonable, considering the 
relatively short attention span typical of small children playing the 
present game at the first level. Other amounts and scenarios may be used 
for the playing positions 14 of the board 10, and the cost of the 
"voyage," as desired, to shorten or lengthen the game as desired. 
When a player has accrued a total of at least $30.00 in simulated currency, 
he or she may make such a purchase of a simulated voyage. The purchase of 
such a voyage by a player ends the game, at least at the first level of 
play, as indicated in the fourth step 56 of FIG. 7. The player is given a 
simulated travel or "voyage" card, with an example of the front and rear 
faces 26a and 26b of such a card shown respectively in FIGS. 3A and 3B. 
Each card may also have a representation on the front face 26a of the 
geographical area relating to the trip or voyage. Examples of such travel 
or "voyage" cards are shown below: 
TABLE 1 
______________________________________ 
SIMULATED TRAVEL CARDS 
FRONT FACE REAR FACE 
______________________________________ 
New York View a Broadway show. Visit the Statue 
of Liberty. Eat in a five star restaurant. 
Machu Picchu 
Take an archeological expedition to Machu 
Picchu. Explore the rain forest for giant 
butterflies. 
Malaysia Paint a sunset. Sail to a remote island. 
Participate in an archeological dig. 
China Walk the Great Wall. Visit the Tomb of 
Buried Soldiers. Sail a junk to Beijing. 
Egypt Study hieroglyphics at the great pyramids. 
Sail a boat the length of the Nile. 
France Visit the Louvre. Paint. Climb the 
Eiffel Tower. Participate in the Tour de 
France. 
______________________________________ 
Any one of a number of additional travel cards may be provided, as desired; 
the above described cards are exemplary, and the present game is not 
limited only to the cards specifically described in the above table. 
The game described thus far is at its simplest level, with no other 
arithmetic or mathematical operations being required other than the 
relatively simple addition and subtraction required according to the 
specific instructions of each of the positions 14 about the periphery of 
the board 10. However, the present game also provides for more complex 
levels of play, as described below. 
If the players desire a somewhat more advanced game, they may mutually 
agree to play at the next or second level of play, wherein one of several 
arithmetic table cards is selected at the beginning of the game, as 
indicated by the optional fifth step 58 of FIG. 7. The front face 28a and 
opposite rear face 28b of an exemplary arithmetic table card are shown 
respectively in FIGS. 4A and 4B of the drawings. The front face of each of 
the cards has some pictorial representation (e. g., three coins, as in the 
card front face 28a of FIG. 4A) of the base number to be used in each of 
the arithmetic problems of the card. Preferably, a plurality of cards are 
provided, with base operative numbers ranging from one to twelve, or 
higher as desired. A table describing other such cards follows: 
TABLE 2 
______________________________________ 
ARITHMETIC CARDS 
CARD NUMBER ARITHMETIC OPERATION 
______________________________________ 
2 2 plus 1 equals 3 
2 plus 2 equals 4 
2 plus 3 equals 5 
2 plus 4 equals 6 
(the balance of the center of the card is omitted for brevity) 
2 times 9 equals 18 
2 times 10 equals 20 
2 times 11 equals 22 
2 times 12 equals 24 
***** 
7 7 plus 1 equals 8 
7 plus 2 equals 9 
7 plus 3 equals 10 
7 plus 4 equals 11 
(the balance of the center of the card is omitted for brevity) 
7 times 9 equals 63 
7 times 10 equals 70 
7 times 11 equals 77 
7 times 12 equals 84 
______________________________________ 
As noted above, the arithmetic addition operations from 5 to 12, and the 
arithmetic multiplication operations from 1 to 8, have been omitted in 
each of the above examples for brevity. The arithmetic operation cards 1, 
4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 used with the present game are not shown, 
but will be understood to be similar in format to the 3 card shown in 
FIGS. 4A and 4B, and the 2 and 7 cards shown partially in Table 2 above. 
The above cards may also include subtraction and division operations if so 
desired. 
The present game at its second or intermediate level is played beginning 
with the same steps as described above for beginning the first level of 
play, i. e., selecting position markers, determining order of play, and 
collecting an "allowance" at the start. However, before play begins, the 
players mutually select one of the arithmetic table cards 28a/28b 
described above, and place it on the arithmetic table card area 16 of the 
board 10, preferably with the first side or face 28a facing upwardly to 
provide a pictorial representation of the numerical factor to be used 
during play at this level. The players also mutually decide on the type of 
arithmetic operation (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division) 
to be required by each player during this step, and place an operation 
card, such as the multiplication card 30 shown in FIG. 5A, on the 
operation area 18 of the board 10 as a reminder of the type of arithmetic 
operation to be accomplished by each player during that player's turn. 
This operation card 30 may also be used at the third or highest level of 
the game to indicate the type of mathematical operation to be performed at 
that level. 
Before each player is allowed to toss the dice to make a move along the 
playing path 12 of the board 10, that player is required to toss the dice 
to generate a random number for use with the arithmetic table card 28 
which has been placed upon the arithmetic table card position 16 of the 
board 10. A second pair of dice other than the dice pair used to determine 
each move of the players may be used as the random number generation 
means, or the same pair of dice may be used for both operations. 
As an example of the above, let us assume that the card 28a/28b of FIGS. 4A 
and 4B has been placed in the first position 16 of the board 10, with the 
face 28a of the card (FIG. 4A) being positioned to face upwardly. Thus, 
three coins (or other articles, as desired) are visible to all players. An 
operation card, e. g., the multiplication card 30 of FIG. 5A (which may 
comprise an opposite face to the mathematical operation card of FIG. 5B), 
is placed in the second position 18 of the board 10 to indicate the type 
of mathematical operation (e. g., multiplication, as shown at the bottom 
of the card 30 of FIG. 5A) is to be conducted. 
Before rolling the dice to determine positional advancement about the 
playing path 12 of the board 10, the dice are tossed to provide a number 
totaling between two and twelve. (The card 28b provides problems and 
solutions down to one, in the event a single die is used.) The player must 
provide the correct answer to the arithmetic problem posed by the number 
shown on the dice, the factor shown on the card face 28a of position 16, 
and the mathematical operator shown on the card face 30 of position 18. 
As an example of the above, assume that the player rolls a two on one of 
the dice, and a four on the second die. The player must perform a simple 
addition problem, similar to those involved in the first or lowest level 
of the game, to arrive at the total of six for the two dice. This number 
is then used as the variable for the problem, which is manipulated by 
using the mathematical operator (multiplication) shown on the card 30 
placed on the second position 18 of the board 10, to multiply the variable 
(six) by the constant (three) shown on the face 28a of the card which has 
been placed on the first position 16 of the board 10. When the player 
arrives at a solution, the card 28a may be momentarily turned up to expose 
the table side 28b, where the solution is checked for accuracy. 
Assuming the player arrived at the correct solution of eighteen, he or she 
may then roll the dice again (or use a second pair) to determine the 
positional advance of that player's position marker 20 along the playing 
path 12 of the board 10. In the event of an incorrect answer, the player 
is not allowed to roll the dice for positional advance of his or her 
position marker 20; the player's position marker must remain in place 
until that player's turn comes up again. The above described play at the 
second or intermediate level of the game is described generally in the 
optional sixth step 60 of the block diagram or flow chart of FIG. 7, 
showing the general method of play of the present game. 
Play continues in the above manner, alternating between players in an 
orderly manner, until one of the players has accrued the predetermined sum 
required to purchase a "voyage" and done so to end the game, at least at 
that level. Alternatively, the game ends when one player is bankrupt and 
has paid out all simulated currency issued to that player during the 
course of play, as indicated by the fourth step 56 of the FIG. 7 diagram. 
The third or highest level of the present game is an optional level which 
may be added to the previous two levels discussed above, as desired and by 
mutual consent of all players. When the third level of play is used, the 
game is played using the first two levels, with the winner of each level 
being the first player to accrue the predetermined amount (e. g., $30) of 
simulated currency and purchases a voyage card for an imaginary voyage. 
When the second level of play has been completed, players select one of 
the mathematical operation cards 32, an example of which is shown in FIG. 
5B, for placement on the first position 16 of the board 10, as indicated 
in the optional seventh step 62 of FIG. 7. These cards both indicate the 
type of mathematical operation(s) to be performed, and also instruct the 
player as to the quantity of random numbers to be generated to arrive at 
the proper number of variables required for the given mathematical 
operation of any one specific card. Table 3 below provides additional 
examples of such mathematical operation cards. 
TABLE 3 
______________________________________ 
MATHEMATICAL OPERATION CARDS 
______________________________________ 
1. (Addition) Throw three dice. Throw two dice. Add them. 
2. (Addition) Throw four dice. Throw one die. Add them. 
3. (Subtraction) 
Throw three dice. Throw one die. Subtract the 
single die from the total of the three dice. 
4. (Subtraction) 
Throw four dice. Throw one die. Subtract the 
single die from the total of the three dice. 
5. (Multiplication) 
Throw one die. Throw a second die. 
Multiply the two numbers together. 
6. (Multiplication) 
Throw two dice. Throw a third die. Add the first 
two dice together, and multiply by the third. 
7. (Division) Throw three dice. Throw a single die. Add the 
first three dice together, and divide by the single die. 
8. (Division) Throw four dice. Throw a single die. Add the 
first four dice together, and divide by the single 
______________________________________ 
die. 
It will be seen that the above described cards are exemplary, and that many 
more such cards may be provided for the play of the present game, as 
desired. Also, it will be noted that some of the above examples require up 
to five dice in order to generate a sufficient quantity of random numbers 
to meet the requirements of the specific problem. Accordingly, the present 
game may include five dice, in order to facilitate play. However, it will 
be seen that repetitive throwing of a smaller number of dice, or a single 
die, may be used to generate the required numbers, if so desired. 
Preferably, a mathematical operator card, such as the card 30 of FIG. 5A, 
is placed on the second position 18 of the board 10, as a reminder of the 
type of operation (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division) 
required by the card 32 of FIG. 5B. As plural cards 32 are provided, the 
mathematical operator 30 and operation card 32 may be provided on opposite 
sides of the same card, with a second card having the proper operator 
indication being turned to place the operator side 30 facing upwardly on 
the second position 18 of the board 10. However, it will be seen that this 
step is not required, as each of the mathematical operation cards 32 
includes the specific mathematical operation to be performed for that 
particular problem. 
Assuming that all players have agreed to include play at the third or 
highest level of the game, a mathematical operation card, e. g., the card 
32 of FIG. 5B, is selected for placement on the first position 16 of the 
board 10 after play at the first two levels has been completed, as 
described generally in the optional seventh step 62 of FIG. 7. A card 
having the proper mathematical operation shown thereon, e. g., the card 30 
of FIG. 5A, may be placed on the second position 18 of the board 10 as a 
reminder of the type of operation to be performed. 
As in the second level of play, a player must generate one or more random 
numbers which are then manipulated according to the instructions of the 
face up card (e. g., card 32) which has been placed on the first position 
16 of the board 10. Using the example of the card 32 of FIG. 5B, the 
player must toss two dice, and multiply their two numbers together. The 
player may not toss the dice again to determine a positional move until he 
or she arrives at a correct answer for the problem of the card 32, using 
the variables provided by the random number generation means. This is 
indicated generally in the optional eighth step 64 of FIG. 7. 
It is intended that the present game be usable by relatively small 
children, or by persons with practically no numerical skills. Accordingly, 
it is preferred that some means of verifying the responses of players to 
such problems as described above, be provided. While no specific tables 
are provided with proper responses to operations such as the one described 
immediately above, it will be seen that other cards, such as the table 
shown on the card face 28b of FIG. 4B, provide the proper answers to most 
of the problems which will come up during the third level of play. These 
cards may be used as desired to check on the responses of players at the 
third level of play. A player achieving a correct response may then roll 
two dice to determine a positional advance, in the manner of play at the 
first two levels of the game. The end of the game is determined as in the 
case of the other two levels, with the first player to accrue a 
predetermined sum, purchasing a voyage card 26 to end the game, or with 
the first player to lose all of his or her simulated currency ending the 
game at that point. 
In summary, the present board game will be seen to provide a most enjoyable 
means of teaching small children and others who have poor arithmetic and 
basic numerical skills, the rudiments of such skills. The three levels of 
the game enable players of virtually any skill level to sharpen their 
arithmetic and mathematical skills, while still enjoying a pleasant, 
competitive board game. 
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the 
sole embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments 
within the scope of the following claims.