Target Number Challenge

Use four numbers and the four operations (add, subtract, multiply, and divide) to reach the target, 24 by default. Play right here, then download a printable worksheet of exercises and a matching answer sheet, both written for the target you choose.

100% in your browser — no account, nothing uploaded.
Make 24 using all four numbers
tap a number, an operator, then another number
๐Ÿ“„ Printable worksheet
A set of fresh exercises with instructions written for your target (24), plus a separate answer sheet with one worked solution each.

Reach the Target With Four Numbers

Here is a small puzzle with a lot of mileage: you are handed four numbers and a target, and you have to combine the numbers with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, using each one exactly once, until you land exactly on the target. The default target is 24, the classic, but you can set it to anything. It looks simple and then it is not, which is exactly why teachers and families reach for puzzles like this to build real mental-math fluency.

Play right in the browser by tapping a number, an operator, and a second number to combine them, then repeat until one card shows the target. When you want to move it off the screen, download a printable worksheet of fresh exercises with instructions written for your chosen target, and a matching answer sheet that shows a worked solution for every one. Every puzzle is checked by an exact fraction solver before it is served, so there are no unsolvable duds and the answer key is always right, even when the path to the target runs through a fraction.

What it does

Good to know

Common questions

How do you play the target number challenge?

You get four numbers and a target. Combine the numbers with the four operations, each used once, until a single result equals the target. In the game, tap a number, tap an operator, then tap a second number to merge them, and repeat until one card shows the target.

Can I change the target from 24?

Yes, to any whole number you like. The game generates fresh, guaranteed-solvable puzzles for the new target, and the worksheet and answer sheet automatically rewrite their instructions to match, so everything stays consistent.

Can I download a worksheet and an answer sheet?

Yes. One button builds a printable worksheet of exercises with target-specific instructions, and a second builds a matching answer sheet with a worked solution for each. Both are PDFs sized for Letter or A4.

Is every puzzle really solvable?

Always. An exact fraction-based solver validates each puzzle before it appears and produces the answer key, so you never get a dud, and the answers are correct even when the solution needs division along the way.

Is this good practice for kids?

It is one of the best low-tech ways to build number sense: it exercises all four operations, order of operations, and flexible thinking at once. The difficulty settings scale it from early learners to adults, and the printables make it easy to use away from a screen.

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