During Hanukkah, children play a game called Dreidl.  The players spin a four sided top and get a pile of chocolate coins (or raisins or real money) if they win.  Depending on how the top lands, the player does one of the following:

• takes all the coins
• none of the coins
  
• replaces half of the coins
• takes half of the coins

Suppose there are two players with 8 coins in the pile and the dreidl always lands on 'take half of the coins'. When there is only one coin left in the pile and the player spins 'take half', the player takes the last coin and the game ends.   Try this with pennies (you do not need a dreidl because you always take half) and make a table to record your results.

How many turns will it take for the pile to disappear?     __________

How many coins will the first player have? ___________

How many coins will the second player have? __________

        Coins in the Pile      1st Player      2nd Player









For 4th and 5th grades:  Suppose there are 32 coins in the pile, make a table and answer the same questions as above.