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Variables, Algebraic Expressions, Systems of Equations | Grades: 6-8, Algebra I | Duration: 20 min

Help Blobbo buy a snack! Solve the Vending Machine math puzzles to build algebraic thinking skills: variables, expressions, and systems of equations.

A Research-Based Learning Game

Lure of the Labyrinth: Vending Machine is a math puzzle game produced by the MIT Education Arcade, Maryland Public Television and FableVision. The puzzle was originally developed as part of Lure of the Labyrinth, an award-winning learning game that reached hundreds of thousands of players.

Well-designed learning games can encourage discovery and build deep mathematical reasoning skills. Lure of the Labyrinth: Vending Machine is “the kind of engaging and relevant experience that leaves students prepared to make fuller sense of the concepts they’ve begun to master when they encounter them again in school, or in their daily lives.” Resonant Games, MIT Education Arcade

Read more about the game’s research, design, and pedagogy here:

Klopfer, E., Haas, J., Osterweil, S., & Rosenheck, L. (2019). Resonant games: Design principles for learning games that connect hearts, minds, and the everyday. MIT Press.

Mathematical Standards

Lure of the Labyrinth: Vending Machine can be used to introduce expressions and equations. The game is an opportunity to experiment and discover intuitive math strategy skills before learning algebra more formally.

	Common Core State Standards
Level 1 ‘Break Room’	Evaluating Algebraic Equations 6.EE.A.2: Write, read, and evaluate expressions in which letters stand for numbers. 6.EE.B: Reason about and solve one-variable equations. 7.EE.B: Solve real-life and mathematical problems using numerical and algebraic equations.
Level 2 ‘Manager’s Lounge’	Evaluating Systems of Equations 8.EE.C: Analyze and solve linear equations and pairs of simultaneous linear equations. HSA-REI.C: Solve systems of equations

Lesson Plans

6th Grade, 7th Grade
» Intro to Evaluating Algebraic Equations | Lesson 1
» Intro to Evaluating Algebraic Equations | Lesson 2

8th Grade, Algebra I
» Intro to Evaluating Systems of Equations | Lesson 1
» Intro to Evaluating Systems of Equations | Lesson 2

The History: About Lure of the Labyrinth

Lure of the Labyrinth debuted in 2009 as an online game designed to help students build pre-algebra skills through problem solving, critical thinking and challenging game play. Thousands of teachers and students met our monsters, worked in the Tastipet Food Factory, and used mathematical thinking to free pets. As a matter of fact, Labyrinth players have freed more than 40 million pets!

This innovative game brought together fun and learning through a creative story-led scenario seeking lost pets by conquering a labyrinth of mazes, puzzles and monster mayhem.

Regretfully, the full Lure of the Labyrinth game has been retired due to the phase out of Adobe Flash technology. However, thanks to the generosity of Google, the popular Vending Machine puzzle has been rebuilt and is now available on the YouTube channel Math with Mr J.

Hopefully in time and with additional funding, the entire Lure of the Labyrinth game will be available again to help the next generation of students learn math and free pets!

If you are an educator who used Lure of the Labyrinth with students in the past, we would love to know more. Please complete this brief survey and share your thoughts about the game and how you used Lure of the Labyrinth in classroom instruction.

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