Filter by: Content type: ALL Problems Articles Games Stage: All Stage 1&2 Stage 2&3 Stage 3&4 Stage 4&5 Challenge level:
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 find six numbers to go in the Daisy from which you can make all the numbers from 1 to a number bigger than 25?
Different combinations of the weights available allow you to make different totals. Which totals can you make?
Five numbers added together in pairs produce: 0, 2, 4, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15 What are the five numbers?
The letters in the following addition sum represent the digits 1 ... 9. If A=3 and D=2, what number is represented by "CAYLEY"?
Find the values of the nine letters in the sum: FOOT + BALL = GAME
How many solutions can you find to this sum? Each of the different letters stands for a different number.
This article gives you a few ideas for understanding the Got It! game and how you might find a winning strategy.
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?
A game for two people, or play online. Given a target number, say 23, and a range of numbers to choose from, say 1-4, players take it in turns to add to the running total to hit their target.
Try entering different sets of numbers in the number pyramids. How does the total at the top change?
Do you notice anything about the solutions when you add and/or subtract consecutive negative numbers?
Make your own double-sided magic square. But can you complete both sides once you've made the pieces?
Here is a chance to play a version of the classic Countdown Game.
Try adding together the dates of all the days in one week. Now multiply the first date by 7 and add 21. Can you explain what happens?
Can you explain how this card trick works?
Can you find which shapes you need to put into the grid to make the totals at the end of each row and the bottom of each column?
Find at least one way to put in some operation signs (+ - x ÷) to make these digits come to 100.
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.
This article suggests some ways of making sense of calculations involving positive and negative numbers.
Four bags contain a large number of 1s, 3s, 5s and 7s. Pick any ten numbers from the bags above so that their total is 37.
There are nasty versions of this dice game but we'll start with the nice ones...
Delight your friends with this cunning trick! Can you explain how it works?
This challenge extends the Plants investigation so now four or more children are involved.
This Sudoku, based on differences. Using the one clue number can you find the solution?
If you have only four weights, where could you place them in order to balance this equaliser?
Place the numbers from 1 to 9 in the squares below so that the difference between joined squares is odd. How many different ways can you do this?
For this challenge, you'll need to play Got It! Can you explain the strategy for winning this game with any target?
Can you see why 2 by 2 could be 5? Can you predict what 2 by 10 will be?
An investigation involving adding and subtracting sets of consecutive numbers. Lots to find out, lots to explore.
Starting with the number 180, take away 9 again and again, joining up the dots as you go. Watch out - don't join all the dots!
What is happening at each box in these machines?
Winifred Wytsh bought a box each of jelly babies, milk jelly bears, yellow jelly bees and jelly belly beans. In how many different ways could she make a jolly jelly feast with 32 legs?
Find out what a Deca Tree is and then work out how many leaves there will be after the woodcutter has cut off a trunk, a branch, a twig and a leaf.
Find the next number in this pattern: 3, 7, 19, 55 ...
There were chews for 2p, mini eggs for 3p, Chocko bars for 5p and lollypops for 7p in the sweet shop. What could each of the children buy with their money?
Look carefully at the numbers. What do you notice? Can you make another square using the numbers 1 to 16, that displays the same properties?
In this game, you can add, subtract, multiply or divide the numbers on the dice. Which will you do so that you get to the end of the number line first?
There are three buckets each of which holds a maximum of 5 litres. Use the clues to work out how much liquid there is in each bucket.
Fill in the missing numbers so that adding each pair of corner numbers gives you the number between them (in the box).
Fill in the numbers to make the sum of each row, column and diagonal equal to 34. For an extra challenge try the huge American Flag magic square.
On a calculator, make 15 by using only the 2 key and any of the four operations keys. How many ways can you find to do it?
Amy has a box containing domino pieces but she does not think it is a complete set. She has 24 dominoes in her box and there are 125 spots on them altogether. Which of her domino pieces are missing?
Rocco ran in a 200 m race for his class. Use the information to find out how many runners there were in the race and what Rocco's finishing position was.
Use 4 four times with simple operations so that you get the answer 12. Can you make 15, 16 and 17 too?
This magic square has operations written in it, to make it into a maze. Start wherever you like, go through every cell and go out a total of 15!
On the table there is a pile of oranges and lemons that weighs exactly one kilogram. Using the information, can you work out how many lemons there are?
Can you put plus signs in so this is true? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 = 99 How many ways can you do it?
Ten cards are put into five envelopes so that there are two cards in each envelope. The sum of the numbers inside it is written on each envelope. What numbers could be inside the envelopes?
On the planet Vuv there are two sorts of creatures. The Zios have 3 legs and the Zepts have 7 legs. The great planetary explorer Nico counted 52 legs. How many Zios and how many Zepts were there?