Rush Hour

Last updated 02 November 2003

Suggested Grade level: Fourth and up


The Game

The object of this game is to get your car, the red car, out of the traffic jam and through the exit. In order to make the escape, the other cars and trucks must be moved out of the way of your car.

Educational Value

Coming up with a game plan, a strategy, is very important for achieving success when playing this game. First, students will need to take a minute to determine the problem; in other words, they will need to decide which vehicles must be moved and which should remain at the original locations. Second, students should try to imagine the necessary moves. Can they create a clear, one-way path, or will their cars need to travel to the exit one or two spaces at a time? Next, students will carry out their plans. They may find they are working by trial and error, or they may find their strategies need some revision. On the other hand, their strategies could be very successful, and students may want to consider whether that same plan will work at a more difficult level. As you can see, each step in the playing process involves the skills necessary for any problem solving application. I was intrigued by finding a way to master this game. How many moves does it take to escape the rush hour traffic? How does this relate to the number of vehicles in the traffic jam? How does the number of cars versus the number of trucks affect my car's escape? These are just some of the questions I tried solving. Students will probably formulate more!

Instructions

Choose your desired level of difficulty from the drop-down list on the right-hand side. Then, begin moving vehicles out of your car's path by clicking and dragging the pointer. Move your car through the exit to win the game. Choose another level to play again, if you wish.

Play Rush Hour



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Northern Michigan University

J. Paquette
jopaquet@nmu.edu



Clip art licensed from Art by Cheryl
.