Patterns and Sequences Stage 3 - Short Problems

This is part of our collection of Short Problems.

You may also be interested in our longer problems on Patterns and Sequences - Stage 3.

Printing Error

KS 2 & 3 Short Challenge Level:

Weekly Problem 17 - 2011
Every third page number in this book has been omitted. Can you work out what number will be on the last page?

Many Matildas

KS 2 & 3 Short Challenge Level:

Weekly Problem 23 - 2011
MatildaMatildaMatil... What is the 1000th letter?

Street Lamps

KS 2 & 3 Short Challenge Level:

Weekly Problem 9 - 2007
Walking up a steep hill, I pass 10 equally spaced street lamps. How long do I take to walk from the first lamp to the last?

Starting Fibonacci

KS 3 Short Challenge Level:

Weekly Problem 40 - 2012
What is the first term of a Fibonacci sequence whose second term is 4 and fifth term is 22?

Mean Sequence

KS 3 Short Challenge Level:

Weekly Problem 38 - 2009
This sequence is given by the mean of the previous two terms. What is the fifth term in the sequence?

Luis' Seven

KS 3 Short Challenge Level:

Weekly Problem 6 - 2016
Luis writes down seven consecutive positive integers. The sum of the three smallest numbers is 33. What is the sum of the three largest numbers?

12345

KS 3 Short Challenge Level:

Weekly Problem 50 - 2011
Repeat a pattern of numbers to form a larger number. Can you find the sum of all the digits?

Pattern Snake

KS 3 Short Challenge Level:

Weekly Problem 27 - 2010
This pattern repeats every 12 dots. Can you work out what a later piece will be?

Triangle of Squares

KS 3 Short Challenge Level:

Weekly Problem 42 - 2012
What number appears immediately below 400 in the triangle?

Triangular Clock

KS 3 Short Challenge Level:

Weekly Problem 31 - 2007
Trinni rearanges numbers on a clock face so each adjacent pair add up to a triangle number... What number did she put where 6 would usually be?

Expanding Pattern

KS 3 Short Challenge Level:

Weekly Problem 36 - 2010
How many squares are needed to continue this pattern?

Hexagon Line

KS 3 Short Challenge Level:

Weekly Problem 5 - 2016
How many hexagons are required for the perimeter of the whole shape to have length 1002cm?

Knights and Knaves

KS 3 & 4 Short Challenge Level:

Weekly Problem 35 - 2010
Knights always tell the truth. Knaves always lie. Can you catch these knights and knaves out?

Alternating Sum

KS 3 & 4 Short Challenge Level:

Weekly Problem 1 - 2008
Given that the number 2008 is the correct answer to a sum, can you find n?

Fruit Line-up

KS 3 & 4 Short Challenge Level:

Weekly Problem 8 - 2011
This grocer wants to arrange his fruit in a particular order, can you help him?

Chessboard Counters

KS 3 & 4 Short Challenge Level:

Weekly Problem 3 - 2008
Counters are placed on an 8 by 8 chessboard... What fraction of the counters are on squares of the same colour as themselves?

Collatz-ish

KS 3 & 4 Short Challenge Level:

Weekly Problem 35 - 2014
A sequence is generated using these rules. For which values of n is the nth term equal to n?

Draught Plans

KS 3 & 4 Short Challenge Level:

Weekly Problem 9 - 2011
Barbara is putting draughts on a $4\times4$ board in a particular way. Can you find the least number of draughts she needs to put down?

Night Watchmen

KS 3 & 4 Short Challenge Level:

Weekly Problem 20 - 2008
Grannie's watch gains 30 minutes every hour, whilst Grandpa's watch loses 30 minutes every hour. What is the correct time when their watches next agree?

Trolley Park

KS 3 & 4 Short Challenge Level:

Weekly Problem 14 - 2016
In a supermarket, there are two lines of tightly packed trolleys. What is the length of one trolley?

Amazing

KS 3 & 4 Short Challenge Level:

Weekly Problem 6 - 2014
A maze has nine rooms, with gaps in the walls between them. How many ways are there to travel from X to Y?

Alphabetical Angle

KS 3 & 4 Short Challenge Level:

Weekly Problem 8 - 2014
If all the arrangements of the letters in the word ANGLE are written down in alphabetical order, what position does the word ANGLE occupy?