List

Factors, Multiples and Primes

This is part of our Secondary Curriculum collection of favourite rich tasks arranged by topic.

Scroll down to see the complete collection, or explore our subcollections on Perimeter and Area in two dimensions, and Surface Area and Volume in three dimensions.

Dozens
problem
Favourite

Dozens

Age
7 to 14
Challenge level
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Can you select the missing digit(s) to find the largest multiple?
Statement Snap
problem
Favourite

Statement Snap

Age
7 to 14
Challenge level
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You'll need to know your number properties to win a game of Statement Snap...
Xavi's T-shirt
problem

Xavi's T-shirt

Age
7 to 16
Challenge level
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How much can you read into a T-shirt?
Factors and Multiples Game
game
Favourite

Factors and Multiples Game

A game in which players take it in turns to choose a number. Can you block your opponent?

American Billions
problem
Favourite

American Billions

Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
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Play the divisibility game to create numbers in which the first two digits make a number divisible by 2, the first three digits make a number divisible by 3...
Factors and Multiples Puzzle
problem
Favourite

Factors and Multiples Puzzle

Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
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Using your knowledge of the properties of numbers, can you fill all the squares on the board?
Multiples Sudoku
problem
Favourite

Multiples Sudoku

Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
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Each clue in this Sudoku is the product of the two numbers in adjacent cells.
How much can we spend?
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Favourite

How much can we spend?

Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
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A country has decided to have just two different coins, 3z and 5z coins. Which totals can be made? Is there a largest total that cannot be made? How do you know?
Diminishing Returns
problem
Favourite

Diminishing Returns

Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
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How much of the square is coloured blue? How will the pattern continue?
Sieve of Eratosthenes
problem
Favourite

Sieve of Eratosthenes

Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
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Follow this recipe for sieving numbers and see what interesting patterns emerge.
Multiple Surprises
problem
Favourite

Multiple Surprises

Age
11 to 16
Challenge level
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Sequences of multiples keep cropping up...
Gabriel's Problem
problem
Favourite

Gabriel's Problem

Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
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Gabriel multiplied together some numbers and then erased them. Can you figure out where each number was?
Number Families
problem
Favourite

Number Families

Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
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How many different number families can you find?
Funny Factorisation
problem
Favourite

Funny Factorisation

Age
11 to 16
Challenge level
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Using the digits 1 to 9, the number 4396 can be written as the product of two numbers. Can you find the factors?
Take Three From Five
problem
Favourite

Take Three From Five

Age
11 to 16
Challenge level
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Caroline and James pick sets of five numbers. Charlie tries to find three that add together to make a multiple of three. Can they stop him?

Stars
problem
Favourite

Stars

Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
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Can you work out what step size to take to ensure you visit all the dots on the circle?
Product Sudoku
problem
Favourite

Product Sudoku

Age
11 to 16
Challenge level
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The clues for this Sudoku are the product of the numbers in adjacent squares.
Route to infinity
problem
Favourite

Route to infinity

Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
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Can you describe this route to infinity? Where will the arrows take you next?
Power mad!
problem
Favourite

Power mad!

Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
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Powers of numbers behave in surprising ways. Take a look at some of these and try to explain why they are true.

Alison's quilt
problem
Favourite

Alison's quilt

Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
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Nine squares are fitted together to form a rectangle. Can you find its dimensions?
Counting Factors
problem
Favourite

Counting Factors

Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
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Is there an efficient way to work out how many factors a large number has?
Differences
problem
Favourite

Differences

Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
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Can you guarantee that, for any three numbers you choose, the product of their differences will always be an even number?
Shopping Basket
problem
Favourite

Shopping Basket

Age
11 to 16
Challenge level
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The items in the shopping basket add and multiply to give the same amount. What could their prices be?
Beelines
problem
Favourite

Beelines

Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
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Is there a relationship between the coordinates of the endpoints of a line and the number of grid squares it crosses?
Expenses
problem
Favourite

Expenses

Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
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What is the largest number which, when divided into 1905, 2587, 3951, 7020 and 8725 in turn, leaves the same remainder each time?
LCM Sudoku
problem
Favourite

LCM Sudoku

Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
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Here is a Sudoku with a difference! Use information about lowest common multiples to help you solve it.
Filling the gaps
problem
Favourite

Filling the gaps

Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
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Which numbers can we write as a sum of square numbers?
Latin Numbers
problem
Favourite

Latin Numbers

Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
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Can you create a Latin Square from multiples of a six digit number?


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Factors and Multiples STEM footer
 

You may also be interested in this collection of activities from the STEM Learning website, that complement the NRICH activities above.