ABSTRACT
Recreational mathematics is full of puzzles, games, paradoxes, and curiosities. Illustrations can be found in many forms of mathematical thinking and problem processing. Reasoning problems and mathematical games can demonstrate the fun that mathematics can offer. Unfortunately too many adults still harbor a fear of or dislike of mathematics largely because their teachers did not take into account the importance of motivating instruction, especially using recreational techniques. Teachers should be cautious in selecting the activity to avoid detracting from the lesson that follows, bearing in mind that the activity should motivate students' interest in the theme of the lesson. Many motivational recreations can be justified by a simple use of algebra. In assessing the appropriateness of these recreational motivational devices, one needs to consider that a student's emotional development is also influenced by factors that occur within the classroom and can change with the various stimuli provided by the teacher.
