Filter by: Content type: ALL Problems Articles Games Stage: All Stage 1&2 Stage 2&3 Stage 3&4 Stage 4&5 Challenge level:
Derive an equation which describes satellite dynamics.
Several graphs of the sort occurring commonly in biology are given. How many processes can you map to each graph?
First of all, pick the number of times a week that you would like to eat chocolate. Multiply this number by 2...
If a is the radius of the axle, b the radius of each ball-bearing, and c the radius of the hub, why does the number of ball bearings n determine the ratio c/a? Find a formula for c/a in terms of n.
Can you hit the target functions using a set of input functions and a little calculus and algebra?
What functions can you make using the function machines RECIPROCAL and PRODUCT and the operator machines DIFF and INT?
Two cyclists, practising on a track, pass each other at the starting line and go at constant speeds... Can you find lap times that are such that the cyclists will meet exactly half way round the. . . .
How to build your own magic squares.
A circle of radius r touches two sides of a right angled triangle, sides x and y, and has its centre on the hypotenuse. Can you prove the formula linking x, y and r?
115^2 = (110 x 120) + 25, that is 13225 895^2 = (890 x 900) + 25, that is 801025 Can you explain what is happening and generalise?
Rotate a copy of the trapezium about the centre of the longest side of the blue triangle to make a square. Find the area of the square and then derive a formula for the area of the trapezium.
Find b where 3723(base 10) = 123(base b).
Medieval stonemasons used a method to construct octagons using ruler and compasses... Is the octagon regular? Proof please.
Find all the triples of numbers a, b, c such that each one of them plus the product of the other two is always 2.
To find the integral of a polynomial, evaluate it at some special points and add multiples of these values.
What angle is needed for a ball to do a circuit of the billiard table and then pass through its original position?
The squares of any 8 consecutive numbers can be arranged into two sets of four numbers with the same sum. True of false?
Take a complicated fraction with the product of five quartics top and bottom and reduce this to a whole number. This is a numerical example involving some clever algebra.
Account of an investigation which starts from the area of an annulus and leads to the formula for the difference of two squares.
A task which depends on members of the group noticing the needs of others and responding.
An algebra task which depends on members of the group noticing the needs of others and responding.
Robert noticed some interesting patterns when he highlighted square numbers in a spreadsheet. Can you prove that the patterns will continue?
Given a set of points (x,y) with distinct x values, find a polynomial that goes through all of them, then prove some results about the existence and uniqueness of these polynomials.
However did we manage before calculators? Is there an efficient way to do a square root if you have to do the work yourself?
Can you find a rule which relates triangular numbers to square numbers?
To break down an algebraic fraction into partial fractions in which all the denominators are linear and all the numerators are constants you simetimes need complex numbers.
There is a particular value of x, and a value of y to go with it, which make all five expressions equal in value, can you find that x, y pair ?
Jo has three numbers which she adds together in pairs. When she does this she has three different totals: 11, 17 and 22 What are the three numbers Jo had to start with?”
Choose four consecutive whole numbers. Multiply the first and last numbers together. Multiply the middle pair together. What do you notice?
Brian swims at twice the speed that a river is flowing, downstream from one moored boat to another and back again, taking 12 minutes altogether. How long would it have taken him in still water?
Prove that 3 times the sum of 3 squares is the sum of 4 squares. Rather easier, can you prove that twice the sum of two squares always gives the sum of two squares?
The incircles of 3, 4, 5 and of 5, 12, 13 right angled triangles have radii 1 and 2 units respectively. What about triangles with an inradius of 3, 4 or 5 or ...?
Solve the system of equations: ab = 1 bc = 2 cd = 3 de = 4 ea = 6
If the hypotenuse (base) length is 100cm and if an extra line splits the base into 36cm and 64cm parts, what were the side lengths for the original right-angled triangle?
If a sum invested gains 10% each year how long before it has doubled its value?
Janine noticed, while studying some cube numbers, that if you take three consecutive whole numbers and multiply them together and then add the middle number of the three, you get the middle number. . . .
Show that for natural numbers x and y if x/y > 1 then x/y>(x+1)/(y+1}>1. Hence prove that the product for i=1 to n of [(2i)/(2i-1)] tends to infinity as n tends to infinity.
Take a few whole numbers away from a triangle number. If you know the mean of the remaining numbers can you find the triangle number and which numbers were removed?
Given any two polynomials in a single variable it is always possible to eliminate the variable and obtain a formula showing the relationship between the two polynomials. Try this one.
Find relationships between the polynomials a, b and c which are polynomials in n giving the sums of the first n natural numbers, squares and cubes respectively.
For which values of n is the Fibonacci number fn even? Which Fibonnaci numbers are divisible by 3?
A sequence of polynomials starts 0, 1 and each poly is given by combining the two polys in the sequence just before it. Investigate and prove results about the roots of the polys.
Find the polynomial p(x) with integer coefficients such that one solution of the equation p(x)=0 is $1+\sqrt 2+\sqrt 3$.
What is the value of the integers a and b where sqrt(8-4sqrt3) = sqrt a - sqrt b?
Prove that the product of the sum of n positive numbers with the sum of their reciprocals is not less than n^2.
Find all positive integers a and b for which the two equations: x^2-ax+b = 0 and x^2-bx+a = 0 both have positive integer solutions.
Take any pair of two digit numbers x=ab and y=cd where, without loss of generality, ab > cd . Form two 4 digit numbers r=abcd and s=cdab and calculate: {r^2 - s^2} /{x^2 - y^2}.
Three points A, B and C lie in this order on a line, and P is any point in the plane. Use the Cosine Rule to prove the following statement.
By proving these particular identities, prove the existence of general cases.
The sum of any two of the numbers 2, 34 and 47 is a perfect square. Choose three square numbers and find sets of three integers with this property. Generalise to four integers.