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Move Those Halves

Stage: 2 Challenge Level:

For this task, you'll need an A4 sheet and two A5 transparent sheets. Decide on a way of arranging the A5 sheets on top of the A4 sheet and explore ...

Circles, Circles

Stage: 1 and 2 Challenge Level:

Here are some arrangements of circles. How many circles would I need to make the next size up for each? Can you create your own arrangement and investigate the number of circles it needs?

How Would We Count?

Stage: 1 and 2 Challenge Level:

An activity centred around observations of dots and how we visualise number arrangement patterns.

Seven Squares

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

Watch these videos to see how Phoebe, Alice and Luke chose to draw 7 squares. How would they draw 100?

Triple Cubes

Stage: 1 and 2 Challenge Level:

This challenge involves eight three-cube models made from interlocking cubes. Investigate different ways of putting the models together then compare your constructions.

Christmas Chocolates

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

How could Penny, Tom and Matthew work out how many chocolates there are in different sized boxes?

Coded Hundred Square

Stage: 2 Challenge Level:

This 100 square jigsaw is written in code. It starts with 1 and ends with 100. Can you build it up?

Holes

Stage: 1 and 2 Challenge Level:

I've made some cubes and some cubes with holes in. This challenge invites you to explore the difference in the number of small cubes I've used. Can you see any patterns?

Baravelle

Stage: 2, 3 and 4 Challenge Level:

What can you see? What do you notice? What questions can you ask?

Cuboid Challenge

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

What size square corners should be cut from a square piece of paper to make a box with the largest possible volume?

Eight Hidden Squares

Stage: 2 and 3 Challenge Level:

On the graph there are 28 marked points. These points all mark the vertices (corners) of eight hidden squares. Can you find the eight hidden squares?

Overlapping Again

Stage: 2 Challenge Level:

What shape is the overlap when you slide one of these shapes half way across another? Can you picture it in your head? Use the interactivity to check your visualisation.

Picture a Pyramid ...

Stage: 2 Challenge Level:

Imagine a pyramid which is built in square layers of small cubes. If we number the cubes from the top, starting with 1, can you picture which cubes are directly below this first cube?

Twice as Big?

Stage: 2 Challenge Level:

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 Explain Why?

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

Can you explain why it is impossible to construct this triangle?

Music to My Ears

Stage: 2 Challenge Level:

Can you predict when you'll be clapping and when you'll be clicking if you start this rhythm? How about when a friend begins a new rhythm at the same time?

Route to Infinity

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

Can you describe this route to infinity? Where will the arrows take you next?

Stage: 2 Challenge Level:

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.

Squares in Rectangles

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

A 2 by 3 rectangle contains 8 squares and a 3 by 4 rectangle contains 20 squares. What size rectangle(s) contain(s) exactly 100 squares? Can you find them all?

Semi-regular Tessellations

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

Semi-regular tessellations combine two or more different regular polygons to fill the plane. Can you find all the semi-regular tessellations?

Stage: 2 Challenge Level:

This practical problem challenges you to make quadrilaterals with a loop of string. You'll need some friends to help!

Nine-pin Triangles

Stage: 2 Challenge Level:

How many different triangles can you make on a circular pegboard that has nine pegs?

Cubes Within Cubes Revisited

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

Imagine starting with one yellow cube and covering it all over with a single layer of red cubes, and then covering that cube with a layer of blue cubes. How many red and blue cubes would you need?

Square Coordinates

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

A tilted square is a square with no horizontal sides. Can you devise a general instruction for the construction of a square when you are given just one of its sides?

Isosceles Triangles

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

Draw some isosceles triangles with an area of $9$cm$^2$ and a vertex at (20,20). If all the vertices must have whole number coordinates, how many is it possible to draw?

Efficient Cutting

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

Use a single sheet of A4 paper and make a cylinder having the greatest possible volume. The cylinder must be closed off by a circle at each end.

Fence It

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

If you have only 40 metres of fencing available, what is the maximum area of land you can fence off?

Ten Hidden Squares

Stage: 2 Challenge Level:

These points all mark the vertices (corners) of ten hidden squares. Can you find the 10 hidden squares?

Square It

Stage: 3 and 4 Challenge Level:

Players take it in turns to choose a dot on the grid. The winner is the first to have four dots that can be joined to form a square.

On the Edge

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

If you move the tiles around, can you make squares with different coloured edges?

Cuboids

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

Find a cuboid (with edges of integer values) that has a surface area of exactly 100 square units. Is there more than one? Can you find them all?

Painted Cube

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

Imagine a large cube made from small red cubes being dropped into a pot of yellow paint. How many of the small cubes will have yellow paint on their faces?

Cut Nets

Stage: 2 Challenge Level:

Each of the nets of nine solid shapes has been cut into two pieces. Can you see which pieces go together?

Buses

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

A bus route has a total duration of 40 minutes. Every 10 minutes, two buses set out, one from each end. How many buses will one bus meet on its way from one end to the other end?

Coordinate Patterns

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

Charlie and Alison have been drawing patterns on coordinate grids. Can you picture where the patterns lead?

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

Choose a couple of the sequences. Try to picture how to make the next, and the next, and the next... Can you describe your reasoning?

Odd Squares

Stage: 2 Challenge Level:

Think of a number, square it and subtract your starting number. Is the number you’re left with odd or even? How do the images help to explain this?

Picturing Square Numbers

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

Square numbers can be represented as the sum of consecutive odd numbers. What is the sum of 1 + 3 + ..... + 149 + 151 + 153?

Picturing Triangle Numbers

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

Triangle numbers can be represented by a triangular array of squares. What do you notice about the sum of identical triangle numbers?

An Unusual Shape

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

Can you maximise the area available to a grazing goat?

Rolling Around

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

A circle rolls around the outside edge of a square so that its circumference always touches the edge of the square. Can you describe the locus of the centre of the circle?

Sponge Sections

Stage: 2 Challenge Level:

You have been given three shapes made out of sponge: a sphere, a cylinder and a cone. Your challenge is to find out how to cut them to make different shapes for printing.

Fractional Triangles

Stage: 2 Challenge Level:

Use the lines on this figure to show how the square can be divided into 2 halves, 3 thirds, 6 sixths and 9 ninths.

John's Train Is on Time

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

A train leaves on time. After it has gone 8 miles (at 33mph) the driver looks at his watch and sees that the hour hand is exactly over the minute hand. When did the train leave the station?

Let Us Reflect

Stage: 2 Challenge Level:

Where can you put the mirror across the square so that you can still "see" the whole square? How many different positions are possible?

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

How many different symmetrical shapes can you make by shading triangles or squares?

Counting Cards

Stage: 2 Challenge Level:

A magician took a suit of thirteen cards and held them in his hand face down. Every card he revealed had the same value as the one he had just finished spelling. How did this work?

Reflecting Squarely

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

In how many ways can you fit all three pieces together to make shapes with line symmetry?

Triangles to Tetrahedra

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

Imagine you have an unlimited number of four types of triangle. How many different tetrahedra can you make?

Cubes Within Cubes

Stage: 2 and 3 Challenge Level:

We start with one yellow cube and build around it to make a 3x3x3 cube with red cubes. Then we build around that red cube with blue cubes and so on. How many cubes of each colour have we used?