Filter by: Content type: ALL Problems Articles Games Stage: All Stage 1&2 Stage 2&3 Stage 3&4 Stage 4&5 Challenge level:
Can you order pictures of the development of a frog from frogspawn and of a bean seed growing into a plant?
What is the smallest cuboid that you can put in this box so that you cannot fit another that's the same into it?
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?
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.
Investigate the smallest number of moves it takes to turn these mats upside-down if you can only turn exactly three at a time.
Are all the possible combinations of two shapes included in this set of 27 cards? How do you know?
If you'd like to know more about Primary Maths Masterclasses, this is the package to read! Find out about current groups in your region or how to set up your own.
Can you make the most extraordinary, the most amazing, the most unusual patterns/designs from these triangles which are made in a special way?
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?
How many triangles can you make on the 3 by 3 pegboard?
Arrange 9 red cubes, 9 blue cubes and 9 yellow cubes into a large 3 by 3 cube. No row or column of cubes must contain two cubes of the same colour.
What is the greatest number of counters you can place on the grid below without four of them lying at the corners of a square?
How many different cuboids can you make when you use four CDs or DVDs? How about using five, then six?
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?
An activity making various patterns with 2 x 1 rectangular tiles.
This practical investigation invites you to make tessellating shapes in a similar way to the artist Escher.
A group of children are discussing the height of a tall tree. How would you go about finding out its height?
How many models can you find which obey these rules?
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?
Take a rectangle of paper and fold it in half, and half again, to make four smaller rectangles. How many different ways can you fold it up?
How can you put five cereal packets together to make different shapes if you must put them face-to-face?
In how many ways can you fit two of these yellow triangles together? Can you predict the number of ways two blue triangles can be fitted together?
Did you know mazes tell stories? Find out more about mazes and make one of your own.
It's hard to make a snowflake with six perfect lines of symmetry, but it's fun to try!
Here is a version of the game 'Happy Families' for you to make and play.
Can you create more models that follow these rules?
Follow these instructions to make a five-pointed snowflake from a square of paper.
Surprise your friends with this magic square trick.
Make a mobius band and investigate its properties.
In this article for teachers, Bernard uses some problems to suggest that once a numerical pattern has been spotted from a practical starting point, going back to the practical can help explain. . . .
Have you noticed that triangles are used in manmade structures? Perhaps there is a good reason for this? 'Test a Triangle' and see how rigid triangles are.
Follow these instructions to make a three-piece and/or seven-piece tangram.
Make your own double-sided magic square. But can you complete both sides once you've made the pieces?
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?
Our 2008 Advent Calendar has a 'Making Maths' activity for every day in the run-up to Christmas.
Kaia is sure that her father has worn a particular tie twice a week in at least five of the last ten weeks, but her father disagrees. Who do you think is right?
Using these kite and dart templates, you could try to recreate part of Penrose's famous tessellation or design one yourself.
NRICH December 2006 advent calendar - a new tangram for each day in the run-up to Christmas.
Can you make the birds from the egg tangram?
Can you each work out the number on your card? What do you notice? How could you sort the cards?
Follow the diagrams to make this patchwork piece, based on an octagon in a square.
This is a simple paper-folding activity that gives an intriguing result which you can then investigate further.
Ideas for practical ways of representing data such as Venn and Carroll diagrams.
How can you make a curve from straight strips of paper?
In this challenge, you will work in a group to investigate circular fences enclosing trees that are planted in square or triangular arrangements.
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?
Have a go at drawing these stars which use six points drawn around a circle. Perhaps you can create your own designs?
Make a cube with three strips of paper. Colour three faces or use the numbers 1 to 6 to make a die.
This activity investigates how you might make squares and pentominoes from Polydron.
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.