article
May the best person win
How can people be divided into groups fairly for events in the Paralympics, for school sports days, or for subject sets?
list
Sport collection
Age
5 to 18
Challenge level
This is our collection of favourite mathematics and sport materials.
game
Twenty20
Age
7 to 16
Challenge level
Fancy a game of cricket? Here is a mathematical version you can play indoors without breaking any windows.
problem
Climbing conundrum
Age
7 to 14
Challenge level
Five children are taking part in a climbing competition with three parts, where their score for each part will be multiplied together. Can you see how the leaderboard will change depending on what happens in the final climb of the competition?
article
Performing beyond expectations - using sport to motivate students in mathematics lessons
In this article, Alan Parr shares his experiences of the motivating effect sport can have on the learning of mathematics.
problem
Olympic logic
Age
11 to 16
Challenge level
Can you use your powers of logic and deduction to work out the missing information in these sporty situations?
problem
Olympic measures
Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
These Olympic quantities have been jumbled up! Can you put them back together again?
article
Tournament scheduling
Scheduling games is a little more challenging than one might desire. Here are some tournament formats that sport schedulers use.
problem
Climbing complexity
Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
In the 2020 Olympic Games, sport climbing was introduced for the first time, and something very interesting happened with the scoring system. Can you find out what was interesting about it?
problem
Who's the best?
Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
Which countries have the most naturally athletic populations?
problem
Medal muddle
Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
Countries from across the world competed in a sports tournament. Can you devise an efficient strategy to work out the order in which they finished?
problem
Olympic records
Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
Can you deduce which Olympic athletics events are represented by the graphs?
problem
What's the point of squash?
Age
14 to 18
Challenge level
Under which circumstances would you choose to play to 10 points in
a game of squash which is currently tied at 8-all?
problem
Nutrition and cycling
Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
Andy wants to cycle from Land's End to John o'Groats. Will he be able to eat enough to keep him going?
problem
Olympic triathlon
Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
Is it the fastest swimmer, the fastest runner or the fastest cyclist who wins the Olympic Triathlon?
problem
The fastest cyclist
Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
Andy is desperate to reach John o'Groats first. Can you devise a winning race plan?
problem
Track design
Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
Where should runners start the 200m race so that they have all run the same distance by the finish?
article
High jumping
How high can a high jumper jump? How can a high jumper jump higher without jumping higher? Read on...
problem
David and Goliath
Age
14 to 18
Challenge level
Does weight confer an advantage to shot putters?
problem
Alternative record book
Age
14 to 18
Challenge level
In which Olympic event does a human travel fastest? Decide which events to include in your Alternative Record Book.
article
Decathlon: the art of scoring points
How do decisions about scoring affect who wins a combined event such as the decathlon?
problem
Training schedule
Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
The heptathlon is an athletics competition consisting of 7 events. Can you make sense of the scoring system in order to advise a heptathlete on the best way to reach her target?
problem
Who's the winner?
Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
When two closely matched teams play each other, what is the most likely result?
problem
Speed-time problems at the Olympics
Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to race against Usain Bolt?
problem
Stadium sightline
Age
14 to 18
Challenge level
How would you design the tiering of seats in a stadium so that all spectators have a good view?
problem
The Olympic torch tour
Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
Imagine you had to plan the tour for the Olympic Torch. Is there an efficient way of choosing the shortest possible route?
problem
Little little g
Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
See how little g and your weight varies around the world. Did this
variation help Bob Beamon to long-jumping succes in 1968?
problem
Light weights
Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
See how the weight of weights varies across the globe.
article
Playing squash
Playing squash involves lots of mathematics. This article explores
the mathematics of a squash match and how a knowledge of
probability could influence the choices you make.
problem
Any win for tennis?
Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
What are your chances of winning a game of tennis?
problem
Angle of shot
Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
At what angle should you release the shot to break Olympic records?
problem
10 Olympic starters
Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
10 intriguing starters related to the mechanics of sport.
problem
Squash
Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
If the score is 8-8 do I have more chance of winning if the winner
is the first to reach 9 points or the first to reach 10 points?
problem
Fa cup
Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
In four years 2001 to 2004 Arsenal have been drawn against Chelsea
in the FA cup and have beaten Chelsea every time. What was the
probability of this? Lots of fractions in the calculations!