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A serious but easily readable discussion of proof in mathematics with some amusing stories and some interesting examples.
This problem is a sequence of linked mini-challenges leading up to the proof of a difficult final challenge, encouraging you to think mathematically. Starting with one of the mini-challenges, how. . . .
Take a number, add its digits then multiply the digits together, then multiply these two results. If you get the same number it is an SP number.
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. . . .
A polite number can be written as the sum of two or more consecutive positive integers. Find the consecutive sums giving the polite numbers 544 and 424. What characterizes impolite numbers?
What happens to the perimeter of triangle ABC as the two smaller circles change size and roll around inside the bigger circle?
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}.
Make and prove a conjecture about the value of the product of the Fibonacci numbers $F_{n+1}F_{n-1}$.
A introduction to how patterns can be deceiving, and what is and is not a proof.
In 15 years' time my age will be the square of my age 15 years ago. Can you work out my age, and when I had other special birthdays?
Evaluate these powers of 67. What do you notice? Can you convince someone what the answer would be to (a million sixes followed by a 7) squared?
Generalise this inequality involving integrals.
Problem solving is at the heart of the NRICH site. All the problems give learners opportunities to learn, develop or use mathematical concepts and skills. Read here for more information.
Can you find a rule which relates triangular numbers to square numbers?
Can you find a rule which connects consecutive triangular numbers?
Find the maximum value of n to the power 1/n and prove that it is a maximum.
Make a conjecture about the curved track taken by the complex roots of a quadratic equation and use complex conjugates to prove your conjecture.
Make and prove a conjecture about the cyclic quadrilateral inscribed in a circle of radius r that has the maximum perimeter and the maximum area.
What have Fibonacci numbers to do with solutions of the quadratic equation x^2 - x - 1 = 0 ?
Steve has created two mappings. Can you figure out what they do? What questions do they prompt you to ask?
Many numbers can be expressed as the difference of two perfect squares. What do you notice about the numbers you CANNOT make?
Here is a machine with four coloured lights. Can you make two lights switch on at once? Three lights? All four lights?
What have Fibonacci numbers got to do with Pythagorean triples?
Show that all pentagonal numbers are one third of a triangular number.
Can you find the values at the vertices when you know the values on the edges of these multiplication arithmagons?
Yatir from Israel wrote this article on numbers that can be written as $ 2^n-n $ where n is a positive integer.
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 vertices of a pentagon given the midpoints of its sides.
Show that for any triangle it is always possible to construct 3 touching circles with centres at the vertices. Is it possible to construct touching circles centred at the vertices of any polygon?
For which values of n is the Fibonacci number fn even? Which Fibonnaci numbers are divisible by 3?
With red and blue beads on a circular wire; 'put a red bead between any two of the same colour and a blue between different colours then remove the original beads'. Keep repeating this. What happens?
Investigate sequences given by $a_n = \frac{1+a_{n-1}}{a_{n-2}}$ for different choices of the first two terms. Make a conjecture about the behaviour of these sequences. Can you prove your conjecture?
Beautiful mathematics. Two 18 year old students gave eight different proofs of one result then generalised it from the 3 by 1 case to the n by 1 case and proved the general result.
Explore the relationship between quadratic functions and their graphs.
Two semicircle sit on the diameter of a semicircle centre O of twice their radius. Lines through O divide the perimeter into two parts. What can you say about the lengths of these two parts?
This group tasks allows you to search for arithmetic progressions in the prime numbers. How many of the challenges will you discover for yourself?
Points D, E and F are on the the sides of triangle ABC. Circumcircles are drawn to the triangles ADE, BEF and CFD respectively. What do you notice about these three circumcircles?
Drawing a triangle is not always as easy as you might think!
Alison has created two mappings. Can you figure out what they do? What questions do they prompt you to ask?
How many different colours of paint would be needed to paint these pictures by numbers?
Take any parallelogram and draw squares on the sides of the parallelogram. What can you prove about the quadrilateral formed by joining the centres of these squares?
Find the sum, f(n), of the first n terms of the sequence: 0, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3........p, p, p +1, p + 1,..... Prove that f(a + b) - f(a - b) = ab.
The points P, Q, R and S are the midpoints of the edges of a convex quadrilateral. What do you notice about the quadrilateral PQRS as the convex quadrilateral changes?
A and B are two fixed points on a circle and RS is a variable diamater. What is the locus of the intersection P of AR and BS?
Have a go at creating these images based on circles. What do you notice about the areas of the different sections?
Change the squares in this diagram and spot the property that stays the same for the triangles. Explain...
If a number N is expressed in binary by using only 'ones,' what can you say about its square (in binary)?
Find out about Magic Squares in this article written for students. Why are they magic?!
A point moves on a line segment. A function depends on the position of the point. Where do you expect the point to be for a minimum of this function to occur.
A point P is selected anywhere inside an equilateral triangle. What can you say about the sum of the perpendicular distances from P to the sides of the triangle? Can you prove your conjecture?