Friendship Day 2026: Here's how you can bond over an old foe - mathematics

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The best of friendships were probably woven in eighth grade, when you and your friends were crying together the night before a maths exam. Nothing brings people together quite like the collective fear of numbers.

Lately, my friends and I have been trying to make peace with those numbers through something we call "Math Nights".

It's simple, really. Dust off those old maths textbooks from eighth grade and compete to solve arithmetic problems, kind of like Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain? (2008), but with fewer celebrity guests and considerably more confusion.

Friends who can do math together, stay together.

Here's how my friends and I do it. There are four of us, and we begin by playing individually. First, we vote on which unit we want to tackle. My favourite is geometry, while some of my friends prefer algebra or probability. The choice matters because the first round is where every person plays for themselves. You can only bank on your own skills.

So, if algebra is chosen first and you're terrible at it, you're probably in trouble. But if geometry comes up instead, you may be able to score some points before teaming up with someone who can rescue you during the algebra round. This is why you have to make sure the vote goes your way.

I usually strike a deal with my friend who loves probability: if he votes for geometry now, I'll vote for probability next time. Because this game isn't about maths alone. There are negotiations, alliances and, occasionally, mild betrayal.

In the first round, we play individually, and then team up in the second round

Once the unit is decided, the first round begins. Everyone picks a random problem from the workbook and races to solve it. Whoever gets the correct answer first wins. A wrong answer gets you zero points, and there are no redos. The maths gods are strict.

We play three individual rounds, with one point awarded for every correct answer. Usually, I lose at least one round, after which my friends spend a major chunk of the evening explaining the solution to me. So even when I don't win, I leave with some knowledge. That has to count for something.

Then comes the group round, where we split into teams of two. This is where you assess your friends' strengths, consider your potential vote banks, and choose your teammate carefully. Just like in the individual round, teams solve problems, compete, and win points. But even if you're not particularly good at maths, teamwork can help you shine. Or, at the very least, help you avoid embarrassing yourself alone.

We use an eight-grade level math workbook

Both players receive one point if their team wins. At the end, we tally the scores, and whoever has the highest total is declared the winner.

Since Math Night is an ongoing game, we've added a few rules to keep things interesting. For instance, whoever wins gets to choose the unit for the next time we play. You can come up with your own rules, too. Perhaps the person with the lowest score has to bring snacks. Suddenly, everyone has a reason to understand fractions.

This Friendship Day, even if you've spent most of your life being afraid of maths, remember that it also brought you together in school. It may not be so bad when you take exams, report cards, and the threat of failing out of the equation.

Math Nights are a fun way to keep your brain exercised without making it feel like work. And if nothing else, they're proof that some school friendships can survive algebra.