Filter by: Content type: ALL Problems Articles Games Stage: All Stage 1&2 Stage 2&3 Stage 3&4 Stage 4&5 Challenge level:
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.
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?
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?
How many different symmetrical shapes can you make by shading triangles or squares?
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?
An irregular tetrahedron is composed of four different triangles. Can such a tetrahedron be constructed where the side lengths are 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 units of length?
Many numbers can be expressed as the sum of two or more consecutive integers. For example, 15=7+8 and 10=1+2+3+4. Can you say which numbers can be expressed in this way?
The number of plants in Mr McGregor's magic potting shed increases overnight. He'd like to put the same number of plants in each of his gardens, planting one garden each day. How can he do it?
This article for teachers describes several games, found on the site, all of which have a related structure that can be used to develop the skills of strategic planning.
The NRICH team are always looking for new ways to engage teachers and pupils in problem solving. Here we explain the thinking behind maths trails.
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?
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?
A Sudoku with a twist.
Solve this Sudoku puzzle whose clues are in the form of sums of the numbers which should appear in diagonal opposite cells.
Only one side of a two-slice toaster is working. What is the quickest way to toast both sides of three slices of bread?
Four numbers on an intersection that need to be placed in the surrounding cells. That is all you need to know to solve this sudoku.
Do you notice anything about the solutions when you add and/or subtract consecutive negative numbers?
Find out what a "fault-free" rectangle is and try to make some of your own.
Two sudokus in one. Challenge yourself to make the necessary connections.
Use the clues to work out which cities Mohamed, Sheng, Tanya and Bharat live in.
My two digit number is special because adding the sum of its digits to the product of its digits gives me my original number. What could my number be?
The idea of this game is to add or subtract the two numbers on the dice and cover the result on the grid, trying to get a line of three. Are there some numbers that are good to aim for?
Can you arrange the numbers 1 to 17 in a row so that each adjacent pair adds up to a square number?
Charlie and Lynne put a counter on 42. They wondered if they could visit all the other numbers on their 1-100 board, moving the counter using just these two operations: x2 and -5. What do you think?
A Sudoku that uses transformations as supporting clues.
Make a pair of cubes that can be moved to show all the days of the month from the 1st to the 31st.
A Sudoku with clues as ratios.
Here are four cubes joined together. How many other arrangements of four cubes can you find? Can you draw them on dotty paper?
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.
This second Sudoku article discusses "Corresponding Sudokus" which are pairs of Sudokus with terms that can be matched using a substitution rule.
Find out about Magic Squares in this article written for students. Why are they magic?!
You have been given nine weights, one of which is slightly heavier than the rest. Can you work out which weight is heavier in just two weighings of the balance?
A Sudoku with clues as ratios or fractions.
Mr McGregor has a magic potting shed. Overnight, the number of plants in it doubles. He'd like to put the same number of plants in each of three gardens, planting one garden each day. Can he do it?
Given the products of diagonally opposite cells - can you complete this Sudoku?
The letters of the word ABACUS have been arranged in the shape of a triangle. How many different ways can you find to read the word ABACUS from this triangular pattern?
If you have only 40 metres of fencing available, what is the maximum area of land you can fence off?
This pair of linked Sudokus matches letters with numbers and hides a seasonal greeting. Can you find it?
Seven friends went to a fun fair with lots of scary rides. They decided to pair up for rides until each friend had ridden once with each of the others. What was the total number rides?
This tricky challenge asks you to find ways of going across rectangles, going through exactly ten squares.
Sweets are given out to party-goers in a particular way. Investigate the total number of sweets received by people sitting in different positions.
This sudoku requires you to have "double vision" - two Sudoku's for the price of one
How many models can you find which obey these rules?
How many ways can you find to do up all four buttons on my coat? How about if I had five buttons? Six ...?
If these elves wear a different outfit every day for as many days as possible, how many days can their fun last?
A Sudoku with clues given as sums of entries.
Advent Calendar 2011 - a mathematical activity for each day during the run-up to Christmas.