Filter by: Content type: ALL Problems Articles Games Stage: All Stage 1&2 Stage 2&3 Stage 3&4 Stage 4&5 Challenge level:
What does the overlap of these two shapes look like? Try picturing it in your head and then use the interactivity to test your prediction.
A variant on the game Alquerque
Move just three of the circles so that the triangle faces in the opposite direction.
Take it in turns to place a domino on the grid. One to be placed horizontally and the other vertically. Can you make it impossible for your opponent to play?
If you can post the triangle with either the blue or yellow colour face up, how many ways can it be posted altogether?
A game for two players on a large squared space.
A game for two players. You'll need some counters.
What happens when you try and fit the triomino pieces into these two grids?
Draw three straight lines to separate these shapes into four groups - each group must contain one of each shape.
Can you cover the camel with these pieces?
Exchange the positions of the two sets of counters in the least possible number of moves
A game for 1 or 2 people. Use the interactive version, or play with friends. Try to round up as many counters as possible.
Can you cut a regular hexagon into two pieces to make a parallelogram? Try cutting it into three pieces to make a rhombus!
Can you fit the tangram pieces into the outlines of Mai Ling and Chi Wing?
Use the three triangles to fill these outline shapes. Perhaps you can create some of your own shapes for a friend to fill?
Can you fit the tangram pieces into the outlines of the candle and sundial?
A shape and space game for 2,3 or 4 players. Be the last person to be able to place a pentomino piece on the playing board. Play with card, or on the computer.
An extension of noughts and crosses in which the grid is enlarged and the length of the winning line can to altered to 3, 4 or 5.
Here are shadows of some 3D shapes. What shapes could have made them?
Which of these dice are right-handed and which are left-handed?
Can you fit the tangram pieces into the outlines of the watering can and man in a boat?
Investigate how the four L-shapes fit together to make an enlarged L-shape. You could explore this idea with other shapes too.
Can you fit the tangram pieces into the outline of this shape. How would you describe it?
Can you fit the tangram pieces into the outline of Little Fung at the table?
Can you fit the tangram pieces into the outline of this brazier for roasting chestnuts?
Can you fit the tangram pieces into the outline of Little Ming playing the board game?
Can you fit the tangram pieces into the outline of this telephone?
How many DIFFERENT quadrilaterals can be made by joining the dots on the 8-point circle?
Can you fit the tangram pieces into the outlines of these people?
Can you fit the tangram pieces into the outlines of these clocks?
A game for 2 players. Given a board of dots in a grid pattern, players take turns drawing a line by connecting 2 adjacent dots. Your goal is to complete more squares than your opponent.
How can the same pieces of the tangram make this bowl before and after it was chipped? Use the interactivity to try and work out what is going on!
Can you fit the tangram pieces into the outlines of the chairs?
Can you fit the tangram pieces into the outline of the child walking home from school?
How many balls of modelling clay and how many straws does it take to make these skeleton shapes?
Investigate the number of paths you can take from one vertex to another in these 3D shapes. Is it possible to take an odd number and an even number of paths to the same vertex?
A hundred square has been printed on both sides of a piece of paper. What is on the back of 100? 58? 23? 19?
Imagine a 3 by 3 by 3 cube. If you and a friend drill holes in some of the small cubes in the ways described, how many will have holes drilled through them?
Can you fit the tangram pieces into the outline of Little Ming?
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?
Can you work out what is wrong with the cogs on a UK 2 pound coin?
Can you see why 2 by 2 could be 5? Can you predict what 2 by 10 will be?
Imagine a wheel with different markings painted on it at regular intervals. Can you predict the colour of the 18th mark? The 100th mark?
Can you fit the tangram pieces into the outline of Granma T?
This second article in the series refers to research about levels of development of spatial thinking and the possible influence of instruction.
This challenge involves eight three-cube models made from interlocking cubes. Investigate different ways of putting the models together then compare your constructions.
Can you find ways of joining cubes together so that 28 faces are visible?
This practical problem challenges you to make quadrilaterals with a loop of string. You'll need some friends to help!
Paint a stripe on a cardboard roll. Can you predict what will happen when it is rolled across a sheet of paper?
How many different cuboids can you make when you use four CDs or DVDs? How about using five, then six?