
The sum of any two of the numbers 2, 34 and 47 is a perfect square. Choose three square numbers and find sets of three integers with this property. Generalise to four integers.

Choose any two numbers. Call them a and b. Work out the arithmetic mean and the geometric mean. Which is bigger? Repeat for other pairs of numbers. What do you notice?

Take any two numbers between 0 and 1. Prove that the sum of the numbers is always less than one plus their product?

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. . . .

If you take two tests and get a marks out of a maximum b in the first and c marks out of d in the second, does the mediant (a+c)/(b+d)lie between the results for the two tests separately.

Relate these algebraic expressions to geometrical diagrams.

A, B & C own a half, a third and a sixth of a coin collection. Each grab some coins, return some, then share equally what they had put back, finishing with their own share. How rich are they?

Can you find the value of this function involving algebraic fractions for x=2000?

Find the missing angle between the two secants to the circle when the two angles at the centre subtended by the arcs created by the intersections of the secants and the circle are 50 and 120 degrees.

Can you make sense of these three proofs of Pythagoras' Theorem?

Prove that if n is a triangular number then 8n+1 is a square number. Prove, conversely, that if 8n+1 is a square number then n is a triangular number.

The sums of the squares of three related numbers is also a perfect square - can you explain why?

Colour the squares of the square tablecloth so that each square is the same colour as all the symmetrically placed squares and a different colour from the rest of the squares.

The problem is how did Archimedes calculate the lengths of the sides of the polygons which needed him to be able to calculate square roots?

A point moves around inside a rectangle. What are the least and the greatest values of the sum of the squares of the distances from the vertices?

Can you find a rule which connects consecutive triangular numbers?

Can you convince me of each of the following: If a square number is multiplied by a square number the product is ALWAYS a square number...

Show that all pentagonal numbers are one third of a triangular number.

Jo has three numbers which she adds together in pairs. When she does this she has three different totals: 11, 17 and 22 What are the three numbers Jo had to start with?”

The diagram illustrates the formula: 1 + 3 + 5 + ... + (2n - 1) = n² Use the diagram to show that any odd number is the difference of two squares.

First of all, pick the number of times a week that you would like to eat chocolate. Multiply this number by 2...

Take a few whole numbers away from a triangle number. If you know the mean of the remaining numbers can you find the triangle number and which numbers were removed?

Two motorboats travelling up and down a lake at constant speeds leave opposite ends A and B at the same instant, passing each other, for the first time 600 metres from A, and on their return, 400. . . .

This pattern of six circles contains three unit circles. Work out the radii of the other three circles and the relationship between them.

In turn 4 people throw away three nuts from a pile and hide a quarter of the remainder finally leaving a multiple of 4 nuts. How many nuts were at the start?

How good are you at finding the formula for a number pattern ?

Can you show that you can share a square pizza equally between two people by cutting it four times using vertical, horizontal and diagonal cuts through any point inside the square?

Investigate how you can work out what day of the week your birthday will be on next year, and the year after...

A cyclist and a runner start off simultaneously around a race track each going at a constant speed. The cyclist goes all the way around and then catches up with the runner. He then instantly turns. . . .

Many numbers can be expressed as the difference of two perfect squares. What do you notice about the numbers you CANNOT make?

Triangle ABC is an equilateral triangle with three parallel lines going through the vertices. Calculate the length of the sides of the triangle if the perpendicular distances between the parallel. . . .

Three semi-circles have a common diameter, each touches the other two and two lie inside the biggest one. What is the radius of the circle that touches all three semi-circles?

Attach weights of 1, 2, 4, and 8 units to the four attachment points on the bar. Move the bar from side to side until you find a balance point. Is it possible to predict that position?

The opposite vertices of a square have coordinates (a,b) and (c,d). What are the coordinates of the other vertices?
Fancy learning a bit more about rates of reaction, but don't know where to look? Come inside and find out more...

A moveable screen slides along a mirrored corridor towards a centrally placed light source. A ray of light from that source is directed towards a wall of the corridor, which it strikes at 45 degrees. . . .

Use algebra to reason why 16 and 32 are impossible to create as the sum of consecutive numbers.

A circle is inscribed in a triangle which has side lengths of 8, 15 and 17 cm. What is the radius of the circle?

Find all the ways of placing the numbers 1 to 9 on a W shape, with 3 numbers on each leg, so that each set of 3 numbers has the same total.

What is the ratio of the area of a square inscribed in a semicircle to the area of the square inscribed in the entire circle?

Manufacturers need to minimise the amount of material used to make their product. What is the best cross-section for a gutter?

A mother wants to share a sum of money by giving each of her children in turn a lump sum plus a fraction of the remainder. How can she do this in order to share the money out equally?

Fifteen students had to travel 60 miles. They could use a car, which could only carry 5 students. As the car left with the first 5 (at 40 miles per hour), the remaining 10 commenced hiking along the. . . .

Label a graph with the numbers 1 to n, one on each vertex, one on each arc. A Totally Magic graph is both Edge Magic and Vertex Magic.

You add 1 to the golden ratio to gets its square. How do you find higher powers?

Put numbers 1 to n on the edges and vertices of a graph so that the sum of the numbers on a vertex and on all arcs joined to that vertex is the same for all vertices.