Filter by: Content type: ALL Problems Articles Games Stage: All Stage 1&2 Stage 2&3 Stage 3&4 Stage 4&5 Challenge level:
A mathematician goes into a supermarket and buys four items. Using a calculator she multiplies the cost instead of adding them. How can her answer be the same as the total at the till?
Find the smallest whole number which, when mutiplied by 7, gives a product consisting entirely of ones.
Play the divisibility game to create numbers in which the first two digits make a number divisible by 2, the first three digits make a number divisible by 3...
Ben passed a third of his counters to Jack, Jack passed a quarter of his counters to Emma and Emma passed a fifth of her counters to Ben. After this they all had the same number of counters.
This package contains a collection of problems from the NRICH website that could be suitable for students who have a good understanding of Factors and Multiples and who feel ready to take on some. . . .
A student in a maths class was trying to get some information from her teacher. She was given some clues and then the teacher ended by saying, "Well, how old are they?"
Given the products of adjacent cells, can you complete this Sudoku?
If you take a three by three square on a 1-10 addition square and multiply the diagonally opposite numbers together, what is the difference between these products. Why?
Find the values of the nine letters in the sum: FOOT + BALL = GAME
Whenever a monkey has peaches, he always keeps a fraction of them each day, gives the rest away, and then eats one. How long could he make his peaches last for?
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?
The letters in the following addition sum represent the digits 1 ... 9. If A=3 and D=2, what number is represented by "CAYLEY"?
Five numbers added together in pairs produce: 0, 2, 4, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15 What are the five numbers?
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?
Make your own double-sided magic square. But can you complete both sides once you've made the pieces?
Can you find six numbers to go in the Daisy from which you can make all the numbers from 1 to a number bigger than 25?
An extra constraint means this Sudoku requires you to think in diagonals as well as horizontal and vertical lines and boxes of nine.
A few extra challenges set by some young NRICH members.
A package contains a set of resources designed to develop students’ mathematical thinking. This package places a particular emphasis on “being systematic” and is designed to meet. . . .
There is a long tradition of creating mazes throughout history and across the world. This article gives details of mazes you can visit and those that you can tackle on paper.
Bellringers have a special way to write down the patterns they ring. Learn about these patterns and draw some of your own.
This Sudoku, based on differences. Using the one clue number can you find the solution?
Special clue numbers related to the difference between numbers in two adjacent cells and values of the stars in the "constellation" make this a doubly interesting problem.
Four friends must cross a bridge. How can they all cross it in just 17 minutes?
Each clue number in this sudoku is the product of the two numbers in adjacent cells.
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?
Rather than using the numbers 1-9, this sudoku uses the nine different letters used to make the words "Advent Calendar".
A man has 5 coins in his pocket. Given the clues, can you work out what the coins are?
Move your counters through this snake of cards and see how far you can go. Are you surprised by where you end up?
This cube has ink on each face which leaves marks on paper as it is rolled. Can you work out what is on each face and the route it has taken?
This tricky challenge asks you to find ways of going across rectangles, going through exactly ten squares.
Given the products of diagonally opposite cells - can you complete this Sudoku?
A cinema has 100 seats. Show how it is possible to sell exactly 100 tickets and take exactly £100 if the prices are £10 for adults, 50p for pensioners and 10p for children.
Countries from across the world competed in a sports tournament. Can you devise an efficient strategy to work out the order in which they finished?
This Sudoku puzzle can be solved with the help of small clue-numbers on the border lines between pairs of neighbouring squares of the grid.
A pair of Sudokus with lots in common. In fact they are the same problem but rearranged. Can you find how they relate to solve them both?
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?
This pair of linked Sudokus matches letters with numbers and hides a seasonal greeting. Can you find it?
Four small numbers give the clue to the contents of the four surrounding cells.
The puzzle can be solved with the help of small clue-numbers which are either placed on the border lines between selected pairs of neighbouring squares of the grid or placed after slash marks on. . . .
A pair of Sudoku puzzles that together lead to a complete solution.
This is a variation of sudoku which contains a set of special clue-numbers. Each set of 4 small digits stands for the numbers in the four cells of the grid adjacent to this set.
Use the clues about the shaded areas to help solve this sudoku
Each of the main diagonals of this sudoku must contain the numbers 1 to 9 and each rectangle width the numbers 1 to 4.
Can you arrange the numbers 1 to 17 in a row so that each adjacent pair adds up to a square number?
This challenge extends the Plants investigation so now four or more children are involved.
A challenging activity focusing on finding all possible ways of stacking rods.
This challenging activity involves finding different ways to distribute fifteen items among four sets, when the sets must include three, four, five and six items.
Two sudokus in one. Challenge yourself to make the necessary connections.
In this Sudoku, there are three coloured "islands" in the 9x9 grid. Within each "island" EVERY group of nine cells that form a 3x3 square must contain the numbers 1 through 9.