Still Gotta Catch 'Em All!

What has two long ears, yellow fur, rosy red cheeks, and a powerful electric ZAP? If you said Pikachu, you might be a Pokémon Master! This cuddly rodent is the star of the popular video game series Pokémon, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.

For two decades, Pokémon players have been catching and collecting the game’s signature creatures. Pokémon is celebrating by releasing two new games for Nintendo this month: Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon. For the first time, the games will be available in nine languages—bringing Pokémon to even more players around the globe.

What has two long ears, yellow fur, rosy red cheeks, and a powerful electric ZAP? If you said Pikachu, you might be a Pokemon Master! This cuddly rodent is the star of the popular video game series Pokemon. Pokemon turns 20 this year.

Pokemon players have been catching and collecting the game’s signature creatures for two decades. Pokemon is celebrating by releasing two new games for Nintendo this month: Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon. The games will be available in nine languages for the first time. This brings Pokemon to even more players around the globe.

Pokémon was invented by the Japanese video game designer Satoshi Tajiri. “As a child, Mr. Tajiri loved collecting insects,” says J.C. Smith, a director at the Pokémon Company. “He came up with the idea to create a game about collecting and sharing creatures.”

In 1996, the first Pokémon games—called Red and Green—were released by Nintendo in Japan. Players could choose a human character called a Trainer, and set out into an imaginary world to catch as many magical creatures—called Pokémon—as possible. In Japanese, pokémon means “pocket monster.”

A Japanese video game designer named Satoshi Tajiri invented Pokemon. “As a child, Mr. Tajiri loved collecting insects,” says J.C. Smith, a director at the Pokemon Company. “He came up with the idea to create a game about collecting and sharing creatures.”

The first Pokemon games were called Red and Green. In 1996, Nintendo first released the games in Japan. Players chose a human character called a Trainer. Then they set out into an imaginary world to catch as many magical creatures called Pokemon as possible. In Japanese, pokemon means “pocket monster.”

The same two Pokémon video games were released in the U.S. in 1998. They were a huge hit. Smith thinks one reason for the games’ popularity was that they allowed people to play together.

“Before Pokémon, there weren’t many video games that encouraged playing and trading with your friends,” says Smith.

The games’ success inspired dozens of spin-offs, including more video games, trading cards, toys, and TV shows. Since 1996, Nintendo has released 27 versions of the Pokémon game. About 21.5 billion Pokémon trading cards have been sold in 74 different countries. Pokémon have even appeared in 17 films!

The same two Pokemon video games were released in the U.S. in 1998. They were a huge hit. Smith thinks one reason for the games’ popularity was that they allowed people to play together.

“Before Pokemon, there weren’t many video games that encouraged playing and trading with your friends,” says Smith.

The games’ success inspired dozens of spin-offs. These included more video games, trading cards, toys, and TV shows. Nintendo has released 27 versions of the Pokemon game since 1996. About 21.5 billion Pokemon trading cards have been sold in 74 different countries. Pokemon have even appeared in 17 films!

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A smartphone app called Pokémon GO was an instant hit when it was released this summer.

As technology has improved over the years, some features of Pokémon games have changed. The first games were 2-D and in black and white. Today, the games are 3-D and colorful.

This summer, a mobile game called Pokémon GO was released. It works with a smartphone’s camera to project Pokémon onto the real world.This created a brand-new experience for players.

But even with these changes, says Smith, “the core concept of Pokémon has never changed. The games are still about working hard to be the very best and about friendly competition.”

Some features of Pokemon games have changed as technology has improved over the years. The first games were 2-D and in black and white. Today, the games are 3-D and colorful.

A mobile game called Pokemon GO was released this summer. It works with a smartphone’s camera to project Pokemon onto the real world. This created a brand-new experience for players.

But even with these changes, says Smith, “the core concept of Pokemon has never changed. The games are still about working hard to be the very best and about friendly competition.”

As the world of Pokémon has grown, so has its cast. The first games had 151 Pokémon. Now there are more than 700 “species” of all different shapes, sizes, and colors. Some are cute and cuddly, like Pikachu. Others can be pointy, toothy, icy, or fiery. (See the chart above for more on Pokémon types.)

Asked to name his favorite Pokémon, Smith says no way! “I have so many favorites that it would be impossible to choose just one,” he says.

As the world of Pokemon has grown, so has its cast. The first games had 151 Pokemon. Now there are more than 700 “species” of all different shapes, sizes, and colors. Some are cute and cuddly, like Pikachu. Others can be pointy, toothy, icy, or fiery. (See the chart above for more on Pokemon types.)

Asked to name his favorite Pokemon, Smith says no way! “I have so many favorites that it would be impossible to choose just one,” he says.

You want to show what fraction of water Pokémon are psychic types.

How many Pokémon shown in the table are water types? This is the denominator, or the total number of Pokémon in the set.

Of the water Pokémon, how many are psychic? This is the numerator.

Write your fraction.

Three types of Pokémon in the table can fly. Of those, one—Charizard—uses fire. Draw a fraction diagram that represents 1/3. This is the fraction of flying Pokémon that can also use fire.

The model to the right represents the number of Pokémon shown that have a tail. Write this number in fraction form.

What fraction does the area model to the right represent?

Are your fractions from part A and part B equivalent? Explain.

What fraction of the Pokémon shown stand upright on two legs?

Among the Pokémon shown that stand upright on two legs, what fraction have a tail showing? (Hint: Use your numerator from part A as the denominator.)

Which is larger: the fraction you found in 4A or 4B? Prove your answer on a separate sheet of paper using diagram(s) of your choice.

Write a fraction that represents all the Pokémon shown. (Hint: The denominator is 12.)

Of the Pokémon shown, what fraction are water types?

Use your answers from 5A and 5B to write a subtraction sentence that finds the fraction of Pokémon in the chart that are not water characters.

Letʼs say that in a group of Pokémon, 1/12 are grass types and 1/6 are bug types. On your separate sheet of paper, draw each of these fractions as area models with like denominators.