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These squares have been made from Cuisenaire rods. Can you describe the pattern? What would the next square look like?

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Making Boxes

Cut differently-sized square corners from a square piece of paper to make boxes without lids. Do they all have the same volume?

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A Right Charlie

Can you use this information to work out Charlie's house number?

Augustus' Age

Stage: 2 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:2 Challenge Level:2

Why do this problem?

This problem is good for children who have just begun to work with algebra. It lends itself to a trial and improvement approach.

Key questions

How old do you think he could be?
Why not list some square numbers that could be appropriate dates?

Possible extension

The last part of the question offers plenty of scope for extending.

Possible support

A calculator will be necessary.

The NRICH Project aims to enrich the mathematical experiences of all learners. To support this aim, members of the NRICH team work in a wide range of capacities, including providing professional development for teachers wishing to embed rich mathematical tasks into everyday classroom practice. More information on many of our other activities can be found here.
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NRICH is part of the family of activities in the Millennium Mathematics Project.