Filter by: Content type: ALL Problems Articles Games Stage: All Stage 1&2 Stage 2&3 Stage 3&4 Stage 4&5 Challenge level:
Use the interactivity to find all the different right-angled triangles you can make by just moving one corner of the starting triangle.
Three children are going to buy some plants for their birthdays. They will plant them within circular paths. How could they do this?
There are nine teddies in Teddy Town - three red, three blue and three yellow. There are also nine houses, three of each colour. Can you put them on the map of Teddy Town according to the rules?
This practical investigation invites you to make tessellating shapes in a similar way to the artist Escher.
How can you arrange the 5 cubes so that you need the smallest number of Brush Loads of paint to cover them? Try with other numbers of cubes as well.
This problem is based on the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. Investigate the different numbers of people and rats there could have been if you know how many legs there are altogether!
Lolla bought a balloon at the circus. She gave the clown six coins to pay for it. What could Lolla have paid for the balloon?
An activity making various patterns with 2 x 1 rectangular tiles.
What is the smallest cuboid that you can put in this box so that you cannot fit another that's the same into it?
The ancient Egyptians were said to make right-angled triangles using a rope with twelve equal sections divided by knots. What other triangles could you make if you had a rope like this?
Let's say you can only use two different lengths - 2 units and 4 units. Using just these 2 lengths as the edges how many different cuboids can you make?
Arrange eight of the numbers between 1 and 9 in the Polo Square below so that each side adds to the same total.
How could you put eight beanbags in the hoops so that there are four in the blue hoop, five in the red and six in the yellow? Can you find all the ways of doing this?
Write the numbers up to 64 in an interesting way so that the shape they make at the end is interesting, different, more exciting ... than just a square.
Suppose we allow ourselves to use three numbers less than 10 and multiply them together. How many different products can you find? How do you know you've got them all?
How many triangles can you make on the 3 by 3 pegboard?
Take 5 cubes of one colour and 2 of another colour. How many different ways can you join them if the 5 must touch the table and the 2 must not touch the table?
Can you make the most extraordinary, the most amazing, the most unusual patterns/designs from these triangles which are made in a special way?
Explore the different tunes you can make with these five gourds. What are the similarities and differences between the two tunes you are given?
Ben has five coins in his pocket. How much money might he have?
Using different numbers of sticks, how many different triangles are you able to make? Can you make any rules about the numbers of sticks that make the most triangles?
Place this "worm" on the 100 square and find the total of the four squares it covers. Keeping its head in the same place, what other totals can you make?
How many different cuboids can you make when you use four CDs or DVDs? How about using five, then six?
This challenge extends the Plants investigation so now four or more children are involved.
Suppose there is a train with 24 carriages which are going to be put together to make up some new trains. Can you find all the ways that this can be done?
How many different ways can you find of fitting five hexagons together? How will you know you have found all the ways?
An investigation involving adding and subtracting sets of consecutive numbers. Lots to find out, lots to explore.
This challenging activity involves finding different ways to distribute fifteen items among four sets, when the sets must include three, four, five and six items.
This tricky challenge asks you to find ways of going across rectangles, going through exactly ten squares.
A group of children are discussing the height of a tall tree. How would you go about finding out its height?
We went to the cinema and decided to buy some bags of popcorn so we asked about the prices. Investigate how much popcorn each bag holds so find out which we might have bought.
In a Magic Square all the rows, columns and diagonals add to the 'Magic Constant'. How would you change the magic constant of this square?
If we had 16 light bars which digital numbers could we make? How will you know you've found them all?
Explore Alex's number plumber. What questions would you like to ask? What do you think is happening to the numbers?
What happens to the area of a square if you double the length of the sides? Try the same thing with rectangles, diamonds and other shapes. How do the four smaller ones fit into the larger one?
In how many ways can you stack these rods, following the rules?
Cut differently-sized square corners from a square piece of paper to make boxes without lids. Do they all have the same volume?
How many models can you find which obey these rules?
In this challenge, you will work in a group to investigate circular fences enclosing trees that are planted in square or triangular arrangements.
This challenge is to design different step arrangements, which must go along a distance of 6 on the steps and must end up at 6 high.
What is the smallest number of tiles needed to tile this patio? Can you investigate patios of different sizes?
Can you find ways of joining cubes together so that 28 faces are visible?
In this investigation, you must try to make houses using cubes. If the base must not spill over 4 squares and you have 7 cubes which stand for 7 rooms, what different designs can you come up with?
What is the largest number of circles we can fit into the frame without them overlapping? How do you know? What will happen if you try the other shapes?
Can you create more models that follow these rules?
I like to walk along the cracks of the paving stones, but not the outside edge of the path itself. How many different routes can you find for me to take?
How many different shaped boxes can you design for 36 sweets in one layer? Can you arrange the sweets so that no sweets of the same colour are next to each other in any direction?
This challenge involves eight three-cube models made from interlocking cubes. Investigate different ways of putting the models together then compare your constructions.
How many shapes can you build from three red and two green cubes? Can you use what you've found out to predict the number for four red and two green?
Investigate the different ways you could split up these rooms so that you have double the number.