Marvellous Matrix

Follow the directions for circling numbers in the matrix. Add all the circled numbers together. Note your answer. Try again with a different starting number. What do you notice?

The Secret World of Codes and Code Breaking

When you think of spies and secret agents, you probably wouldn’t think of mathematics. Some of the most famous code breakers in history have been mathematicians.

As I was going to St Ives, I met a man with seven wives. Every wife had seven sacks, every sack had seven cats, every cat had seven kittens. Kittens, cats, sacks and wives, how many were going to St Ives?

Maze 100

Stage: 2 Challenge Level:

Why do this problem?

This problem uses a maze as a way of practising addition. Learners also need to be systematic in their approach when doing it. In the past nearly every comic, annual and children's corners in newspapers had a maze of some sort. Many children now do not come across mazes in this way so they may need some explanation of what to do. Two copies of the maze can be found on this sheet.

Key questions

Where do you start/finish?

Can you go that way or do you have to go through the gaps where there is no line?

Would it be a good idea to make list of the numbers as you pass them?

Why not do each route in a different colour?

Possible extension

Learners could make up an even harder maze than this with numbers in it. Mazes can be made any shape and can be based on squares, circles, triangles and hexagons.

Possible support

Suggest making list of the numbers then add them, using a calculator if necessary. Two copies of the maze can be found on this sheet.

Algebra - generally. Addition & subtraction. Generalising. Number - generally. Place value. Mathematical reasoning & proof. Number operations - generally. Route inspection problems. Working systematically. Properties of numbers.

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