Line Signal
Look where the pin sits on a number line and pick the number closest to it.
Numbers & words · All ages
Find the number closest to the pin on the line.
About this game
Line Signal is an estimation game. A number line runs from 0 to 100, and a pin sits somewhere on it. You choose the number that is closest to where the pin is, from four choices.
It practises number-line estimation, the sense of where a number sits among other numbers. It is a basic building block of number sense that researchers have studied in children and adults.
How to play
- Look at where the pin sits on the line.
- Judge how far along it is.
- Tap the number closest to the pin. The choices get closer together as you improve.
Tips
- Use the halfway point to narrow your guess.
- Use the tick marks at 25, 50 and 75 as landmarks.
- Think in fractions: is the pin a quarter, a half or three quarters of the way?
How it adapts
Kids get wider choices and more time. Teens and adults get closer choices and less time. The precision needed adjusts to how you play.
Questions
What is number-line estimation?
It is judging where a number belongs on a line between two end points, and it is a common way to study number sense.
Is there an accessible version?
The choices are labelled buttons, and the exact position is announced after you answer.
Why is the line a fixed length?
So the game is fair on any screen. Wide screens don't make it easier.
The research behind it
Number-line tasks are widely used to study how we represent numbers. Practice makes you more precise on this game's line; we make no claim about wider maths ability.
