Right angle challenge
Problem
How can you place two sticks to make just one right angle?
Now make just two right angles using the two sticks.
Can you make three right angles? Four right angles?
How many right angles can you make using more sticks?
Getting Started
You could use lolly sticks or headless matches if you cannot use the interactivity.
Student Solutions
Poppy, from Heighington CE Primary School, carefully described how you can make the different numbers of right angles. I have added the pictures to make it absolutely clear:
If you make the red stick upright and put the green stick across to make if look like an L you have $1$ right angle:
If you put the green stick across so it looks like half an H you have $2$ right angles:
If you put the green stick across the red one so it looks like a cross you have $4$ right angles:
Hannah from Newstead Wood School and Georges (who didn't give his school or age) agreed that you can't make three right angles with just two sticks.
Perhaps you could work out how to make three right angles if you could use more than two sticks?
Teachers' Resources
Right Angle Challenge
How can you place two sticks to make just one right angle?
Now make just wo right angles using the two sticks.
Can you make three right angles? Four right angles?
How many right angles can you make using one or two more sticks?
Why do this problem?
This problem will help children identify right angles and multiple right angles in their environment.
Key questions
Possible extension
For a tricky challenge, some children could try Take the Right Angle which asks them to find times when the hands on a clock make a right angle.
Possible support
It might help just to move the sticks around over each other to get some ideas. Learners could use lolly sticks or headless matches.