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Chapter 3 Small Number and the Basketball Tournament

Small Number is a young boy who gets into a lot of mischief. Twice a week, after school, he goes with his friends to the Aboriginal Friendship Centre. There the boys first have a snack and then they do mathematics for half an hour. Sometimes they do algebra in their workbooks, but usually they play mathematical games. They also love playing basketball in the Centre’s gym and wish to enter a tournament. Small Number demonstrates how a basic understanding of combinatorics can help in all aspects of life, even basketball!

  • This story was written by Veselin Jungic (SFU) and Mark MacLean (UBC)

  • The illustrations were created by Jean-Paul Csuka

  • The American Sign Language (ASL) translation was completed by Dominique Ireland

  • The Blackfoot translation was completed by Connie Crop, Eared Wolf, and Eldon Yellowhorn

  • The Cree translation was completed by Barry Cardinal from the Bigstone Cree Nation

  • The French translation was completed by Audrey Venner

  • The Hul'q'umi'num' translation was completed by Sti'tum'at | Ruby Peter, Donna Gerdts, and Randeana Peter

  • The Spanish translation was completed by Laura López and Christian Rosete

  • The Tla’amin translation was completed by Mabel Harry, Karen Galligos, and Oshelle of the Tla’amin Nation