Day: April 29, 2024

A domino is a rectangular tile with a pattern of dots or pips on one side and blank or identically patterned on the other. The pips are often colored to identify the value of each end of the tile. The earliest documented use of dominoes dates to the 12th century, although it is likely that they predate that date by some time. They were once made from bone or carved from ivory, but are now most commonly made from durable plastics. The most basic set of dominoes includes 28 tiles, which are shuffled and form the stock or boneyard from which players draw at random to begin play. The leader starts by playing a domino and positioning it so that its matching ends touch. The resulting chain is then a sequence of connected pieces whose length increases over time as additional tiles are played. As each player plays a domino, the total number of pips on the open end is used to determine if that piece scores points. One point is scored for each matching pair of adjacent pips, and doubles count as two. This total is also used to determine how many points a player will accumulate throughout the course of the game. Dominoes can be played by as few as two people, but are most frequently grouped into pairs or teams of four to eight. Normally, the winner is the partner or team whose combined sum of remaining dominos is the lowest. A more competitive and challenging variant of the game involves setting a score that must be reached before play can continue. Most often, this goal is to reach a total of 61 points in a round (although scoring rules vary). In domino shows that feature professional builders, such as the popular YouTube channel Hevesh, dominoes are set up in mind-blowing configurations. Some sets can be so large that they are difficult to move, requiring special equipment for transport and setup. Each domino is placed with precision, and the result is a beautiful display of the potential for narrative drama in even the most mundane events. Whether a story is written by hand, mapped out with an outline, or planned meticulously using an engineering-design process, the final plot comes down to a single question: What will happen next? The answer to this question must be compelling enough to keep readers turning the pages. When a domino is pushed down, much of its potential energy converts to kinetic energy—the kind that causes the next domino in line to knock it over. This process continues until the last domino falls, and the resulting chain of events creates an impressive spectacle. Similarly, students can watch their own addition equations grow when they work with an abundance of dominoes. For example, the teacher might hold up a domino with 4 dots on one end and 2 dots on the other, then ask students to name an addition equation that reflects this relationship.