Numéro Cible: an arcade number puzzle for calculating quickly

Numéro Cible is an arcade number puzzle for Android. Five numbers surround a target at the centre of the screen, and you chain additions, subtractions, multiplications and divisions to land exactly on it.

It suits students from grade 4 (CM1) onward, parents and anyone who likes number puzzles. Exact reasoning with numbers is also what a science experiment demands, and each grid trains it.

Playing your first grid

1. Install Numéro Cible from Google Play and watch the animated tutorial.
2. Choose a level from easy to expert.
3. Tap a number, an operation, then a second number.
4. Reuse each result straight away until you reach the target.
5. Skip the grid if you are blocked and study a possible solution.

What you will find inside

• Four levels: targets from 10 to 40, 20 to 60, 40 to 120 and 60 to 300.
• Each number is used once, and a division must be exact.
• A scale of 1 point for addition or subtraction, 2 for multiplication and 3 for division.
• A 13-point perfect move that uses all four operations in one calculation.
• Ten grids per round, for 130 points at most.
• Four timed challenges: a sprint of 10 points in 60 seconds, a marathon of 30 points in 3 minutes, a perfect-move challenge and a survival mode that adds 10 seconds per grid.
• Six ranks, 12 badges, success rate, best streak and a history of your last calculations.
• No advertising, and progress saved online with a Google account.

Who plays this arcade number puzzle

Students from grade 4 practise tables and exact division, while middle school students train strategy. Adults use it as a short mental warm-up.

The store text describes the app in French. The rules need no language, since numbers and operation symbols are universal.

What it adds to your science practice

Choosing an order of operations to reach a result is close to planning a calculation in a lab report. A student who has played a few dozen grids estimates orders of magnitude faster, which helps when checking answers in our AP Physics 1 worksheets.

It also supports chemistry. Exact division and factors come up in ratio and mole problems, and our chemistry lessons for grades 11 and 12 use them constantly.

Grades, badges and statistics

The game follows your progress closely. Six ranks take you from Novice to Grand Master of Numbers, and twelve badges recognise skills such as speed or precision.

Statistics include your success rate, best streak, best round and fastest time. A history of recent calculations lets you review how you solved a grid, which is a quiet way to learn from your own strategy.

These records suit students who like to measure progress, much as they would plot a graph in a physics lab.

Tips to score higher

• Look at the target’s factors before touching a number.
• Aim for a multiplication first, then adjust with addition.
• Try the all-operations move on the easy level, where numbers are small.
• Use the sprint to measure progress week by week.

Frequently asked questions

What is Numéro Cible?

Numéro Cible is an Android number puzzle in an arcade style. You get five numbers and a target, and you combine them with the four operations to obtain the target exactly, using each number once.

Is there always a solution?

Yes. The description says the game checks that a solution exists for every grid. If you are stuck, you can pass the grid and view one possible solution, which is a good way to learn.

What are the timed challenges?

There are four: a sprint worth 10 points in 60 seconds, a marathon worth 30 points in 3 minutes, a perfect-move challenge in under 2 minutes, and a survival mode that starts at 45 seconds and adds 10 per grid.

Does the app have advertising?

No. The store text states there is no advertising. Progress is saved online with a Google account, and a tutorial plus illustrated rules explain everything at the first launch.