How to Play
How to Play:
Solve math problems as they move along the conveyor belt. Every time you get a problem correct, the belt will speed up a little, and every time you get a problem wrong it will slow down. As you solve problems, you accumulate treasure in your mining cart.
Enter the answer to problems using the number buttons at the bottom of the screen. Once you enter the correct answer, the gnome will automatically move to the appropriate rock and crush it, revealing a treasure. If you enter an incorrect answer, you will need to push the red clear button just to the upper right of the row of numbers. You can keep trying new answers as long as the rock is on the belt.
The math problems are generated at approximate levels of difficulty. You move up levels by solving problems correctly. If you miss 2 problems in a row, you will move down a level. Higher levels cause the belt to slow to provide additional time for solving harder problems. You can customize which types of problems show (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) in your user settings on the home screen. If enabled, multiplication and division problems will not appear until you reach level 5.
You can write on the screen with your finger to solve problems. Once you answer correctly or a rock falls off, your writing is automatically cleared for the next problem.
Each time you solve a problem, you gain at least a silver coin. Sometimes you get a gold coin and more rarely, a gold bar, semi-precious or precious gem. Higher levels and bonus modes have increased odds of more valuable treasures.
Each shift is 5 minutes, but your treasure horde keeps growing the more you play. You can view your horde at any time and access statistics by clicking on the Treasure Cave button. When you start a new shift, you begin at the base speed and level from the end of your last shift.
Bonus modes:
Hot Streak – Triggered after 8 problems answered correctly in a row. Belt moves 20% faster. Double bonus mode; odds of getting more valuable treasure are twice as great.
Rock Crusher – Triggered after 16 problems answered correctly in a row. Belt moves 40% faster. Triple bonus mode; odds of getting more valuable treasure are three times as great.
Devastator – Triggered after 24 problems answered correctly in a row. Belt moves 60% faster. Quadruple bonus mode; odds of getting more valuable treasure are four times as great.
Bonus modes end when you miss a problem. Problems missed in bonus mode do not count towards moving down levels.
The relative distribution of problem types, for those enabled, is:
Addition – 40%
Subtraction – 30%
Multiplication – 20% (Level 5 and up)
Division – 10% (Level 5 and up)
Gnome Skill Level – This is an approximate representation of the difficulty of problems solved times the speed of the player in solving them. The level starts at 10 and scales linearly.
Problem History – This shows the last 1000 problems attempted by the player, with a notation if the problem was missed. This is helpful for teachers, parents or players to diagnose sticking points for math skill improvements.