Filter by: Content type: ALL Problems Articles Games Stage: All Stage 1&2 Stage 2&3 Stage 3&4 Stage 4&5 Challenge level:
Make some celtic knot patterns using tiling techniques
This package contains hands-on code breaking activities based on the Enigma Schools Project. Suitable for Stages 2, 3 and 4.
This article for pupils gives an introduction to Celtic knotwork patterns and a feel for how you can draw them.
It might seem impossible but it is possible. How can you cut a playing card to make a hole big enough to walk through?
You could use just coloured pencils and paper to create this design, but it will be more eye-catching if you can get hold of hammer, nails and string.
Make a spiral mobile.
Make an equilateral triangle by folding paper and use it to make patterns of your own.
Galileo, a famous inventor who lived about 400 years ago, came up with an idea similar to this for making a time measuring instrument. Can you turn your pendulum into an accurate minute timer?
Learn how to draw circles using Logo. Wait a minute! Are they really circles? If not what are they?
Interior angles can help us to work out which polygons will tessellate. Can we use similar ideas to predict which polygons combine to create semi-regular solids?
This article for students gives some instructions about how to make some different braids.
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. . . .
Use the tangram pieces to make our pictures, or to design some of your own!
Exploring balance and centres of mass can be great fun. The resulting structures can seem impossible. Here are some images to encourage you to experiment with non-breakable objects of your own.
A game to make and play based on the number line.
Logo helps us to understand gradients of lines and why Muggles Magic is not magic but mathematics. See the problem Muggles magic.
Turn through bigger angles and draw stars with Logo.
These models have appeared around the Centre for Mathematical Sciences. Perhaps you would like to try to make some similar models of your own.
As part of Liverpool08 European Capital of Culture there were a huge number of events and displays. One of the art installations was called "Turning the Place Over". Can you find our how it works?
Learn to write procedures and build them into Logo programs. Learn to use variables.
How many differently shaped rectangles can you build using these equilateral and isosceles triangles? Can you make a square?
Learn about Pen Up and Pen Down in Logo
More Logo for beginners. Now learn more about the REPEAT command.
Write a Logo program, putting in variables, and see the effect when you change the variables.
More Logo for beginners. Learn to calculate exterior angles and draw regular polygons using procedures and variables.
Make a clinometer and use it to help you estimate the heights of tall objects.
Make your own double-sided magic square. But can you complete both sides once you've made the pieces?
This is the second in a twelve part introduction to Logo for beginners. In this part you learn to draw polygons.
Use the interactivity to play two of the bells in a pattern. How do you know when it is your turn to ring, and how do you know which bell to ring?
This part introduces the use of Logo for number work. Learn how to use Logo to generate sequences of numbers.
Design and construct a prototype intercooler which will satisfy agreed quality control constraints.
I start with a red, a green and a blue marble. I can trade any of my marbles for two others, one of each colour. Can I end up with five more blue marbles than red after a number of such trades?
You have 27 small cubes, 3 each of nine colours. Use the small cubes to make a 3 by 3 by 3 cube so that each face of the bigger cube contains one of every colour.
Can you describe what happens in this film?
Use the interactivity to listen to the bells ringing a pattern. Now it's your turn! Play one of the bells yourself. How do you know when it is your turn to ring?
Draw whirling squares and see how Fibonacci sequences and golden rectangles are connected.
The Tower of Hanoi is an ancient mathematical challenge. Working on the building blocks may help you to explain the patterns you notice.
Build a scaffold out of drinking-straws to support a cup of water
Here is a solitaire type environment for you to experiment with. Which targets can you reach?
How can you make an angle of 60 degrees by folding a sheet of paper twice?
Starting with four different triangles, imagine you have an unlimited number of each type. How many different tetrahedra can you make? Convince us you have found them all.
These are pictures of the sea defences at New Brighton. Can you work out what a basic shape might be in both images of the sea wall and work out a way they might fit together?
A description of how to make the five Platonic solids out of paper.
Time for a little mathemagic! Choose any five cards from a pack and show four of them to your partner. How can they work out the fifth?
How is it possible to predict the card?
Can you puzzle out what sequences these Logo programs will give? Then write your own Logo programs to generate sequences.
What happens when a procedure calls itself?
Move your counters through this snake of cards and see how far you can go. Are you surprised by where you end up?
Generate three random numbers to determine the side lengths of a triangle. What triangles can you draw?
Can Jo make a gym bag for her trainers from the piece of fabric she has?