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=** Benefits of Solving Number Puzzles **= Solving number puzzles has immense benefits to all students because they sharpen the intellect and offer a challenge to the brain. Identifying symmetrical patterns draws on the addictive nature of the brain, and number puzzle offers a challenge to the brain that encourages logical thought processes utilising the short-term memory.The advantages of using number puzzles, especially Sudoku to children are many. A child will use logical reasoning appropriate to his or her age level in solving the puzzle.

Doing regular mental exercises that involve processing numbers can create actual physical changes in brain tissue. These changes can result in lasting gains in the math skills of school children. Solving puzzles regularly helps to create students who are better thinkers. Ultimately, I want our students to develop skills that enable them to tackle all sorts of subjects.

The more time students spend engaged in challenging mental exercises that relate to academic work, the more they will tend to benefit.

These skills include critical thinking, problem solving, recognizing patterns, and judging by degrees.

the brain benefits from regular exercise in much the same way as muscles do. In fact, the brain not only benefits from this training - it thrives on it. Creative thinking, deductive reasoning and puzzle solving are all excellent areas for building up your mental muscle. The ability to concentrate and to enhance one's logical thinking skills is one of the advantages. The number puzzle sharpens one's memory also and increases creativity because you have to keep looking for easier and faster methods to gain results.

Its thorough brain exercise also increases IQ and frequent players of it have been shown to perform better at problem solving and critical thinking challenges. It is one of the few addictions doctors and others recommend, as the merits far outweigh the disadvantages.

Students often see mathematics as a collection of rules to know and follow. Genuine problems -- in mathematics and in life outside of school -- are not so cut and dried.

Puzzles place that particular skill front and centre. In [|KenKen] and Sudoku, for example, you have to look around and check several possibilities before you find something that you can do.

So, why puzzles?

Solving puzzles brings numerous benefits to students

 * Puzzles give permission not to know the answer or method before starting.
 * Students build //stamina// and //confidence// for problem solving by playing with puzzles.
 * They are genuine problems to solve -- true to real life -- not exercises in following a rule or template.
 * They allow high cognitive demand with flexible prerequisite math knowledge.
 * They give plentiful skill practice while allowing the mind to engage: drill and thrill, not drill and kill.
 * They exercise important habits of mind: experimenting, juggling multiple constraints…
 * They engage the intellect. They are fun.
 * The ability to solve puzzles is also highly valued in the "real world"!

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