EXPLORE OTHER 'POWERS & EXPONENTIAL GROWTH' STORIES HERE

THE KING'S CHESSBOARD
​Author: David Birch 
​Illustrator: Devis Grebu 

Number of pages: 32
Publisher: Puffin (UK)
First published in: 1993
Format: Picturebook

Is the mathematical focus explicit in the story? Yes
Is this story part of a mathematics story series? No

Preview and/or purchase this book on the Amazon websites: UK, USA, AUS, CAN

Synopsis by the author/publisher
​When the wise man refuses to accept a reward for his service to the king, the king insists and so the wise man asks for a payment of rice for each square of the king's chessboard - the amount to be doubled each day. Soon the royal granaries are almost empty - will the proud king concede that he has been outwitted?

“"Very well, sire," the wise man said at last. "I ask only this: Tomorrow, for the first square of your chessboard, give me one grain of rice; the next day, for the second square, two grains of rice; the next day after that, four grains of rice; then, the following day, eight grains for the next square of your chessboard. Thus for each square give me twice the number of grains of the square before it, and so on for every square of the chessboard."”

Official review by MathsThroughStories.org:
Coming soon!
​
Recommended age range: 
10 years old + 

Relevant mathematics topics: 
Powers & Exponential Growth

​Possible teaching activities:
At MathsThroughStories.org, we believe that stories can be meaningfully incorporated in mathematics teaching in different ways. Thus, we are inviting you to share your experience of how you have used this story in your mathematics lesson with other members of the community. By sharing your experience with us, you will be added to our team of On-line Contributors here, where you can also find our submission guideline.