Prompt Cards

These two group activities use mathematical reasoning - one is numerical, one geometric.

Consecutive Numbers

An investigation involving adding and subtracting sets of consecutive numbers. Lots to find out, lots to explore.

Exploring Wild & Wonderful Number Patterns

EWWNP means Exploring Wild and Wonderful Number Patterns Created by Yourself! Investigate what happens if we create number patterns using some simple rules.

Two Number Lines

Stage: 2 Challenge Level:

Why do this problem?

This problem follows on from Number Lines and could be used to introduce coordinates. In addition to focusing on ideas associated with inverse operations and algebra, the final part of this activity asks pupils to find all possibilities, with an opportunity to identify and explain the pattern produced on the graph.

It would be good for learners to work on this task practically, with number lines, squared paper and counters. These sheets of number lines could be printed off and cut out for this purpose.

Key questions

How far up Mandy's number line has the counter been put?

How far along Max's number line has the counter been put?

Where are you going to put your counter now?

If they both moved the same distance along or up their number line, can you think of a number of jumps they could have made?

What about a different number of jumps?

Can you think of a word to describe that line?

Possible extension

Learners could follow on with Fred the Class Robot.

Possible support

Suggest doing Number Lines instead.

Generalising. Working systematically. Addition & subtraction. Multiplication & division. Combinations. Introducing algebra. Interactivities. Investigations. Trial and improvement. Coordinates - first quadrant.

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