In this article, the authors present variants to the classic problem the Prisoner's Dilemma. They discuss how senior secondary school students can use these variations to explore basic game theory concepts and develop mathematical proficiencies and practices. They also suggest how students can apply these concepts to decision-making processes in…

This article describes how to play two abstract strategy board games: (1) "Blokus" which uses polyominoes--plane geometric figures formed by joining one or more equal squares edge to edge; and (2) "Gemblo" which uses translucent, colored pieces, each of which is made up of one to five hexagons.

Since 1950, the Prisoner's Dilemma has intrigued economists and amused fans of mathematics. It presents a situation in which two players acting to their own advantage do not do as well together as two players whose actions oppose their individual interests--hence, the dilemma. Variations of the Prisoner's Dilemma have appeared in diverse…

This work is about analyzing games as models of systems. The goal is to understand the techniques that have been used by game designers in the past, and to compare them to the study of mathematical game theory. Through the study of a system or concept a model often emerges that can effectively educate students about making intelligent decisions…

As education systems around the world move towards increased accountability based on performance measures, it is important to investigate the unintended effects of accountability systems. This article seeks to explore the extent to which head teachers in a large Norwegian municipality may resort to gaming the incentive system to boost their…

Ever had a roommate? Then you know that it can be difficult to share housekeeping duties. This article uses game theory to analyze situations in which there is a task to be done and two people who might do it. We then use our analysis to consider what game theory tells us about the gendered division of household labor.

Monotone methods enable comparative static analysis without the restrictive assumptions of the implicit-function theorem. Ease of use and flexibility in solving comparative static and game-theory problems have made monotone methods popular in the economics literature and in graduate courses, but they are still absent from undergraduate…

David Gale was one of the mathematicians responsible for the modern form of the theory of duality in linear programming and the associated proof of the minimax theorem in the theory of games. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and is Professor Emeritus of Mathematics and Operations Research at the University of California at…

Strategies for winning in the game of NIM are discussed and explained through applying a base 2 representation for the numbers involved. (DT)

An analysis is made of the probabilities for winning at the game of Keno, with a computer program provided that will determine expectations. (DT)

Some applications of the theory of games to competitive situations are examined by looking at several examples, including a military problem, a political problem, and a prisoner's dilemma. (MP)

Probabilities and strategies for winning at a game of fliiping a penny are analyzed. (DT)

Presents a mathematical game called the dinner-guest problem that deals with Steiner triple systems. (HM)