
Can all unit fractions be written as the sum of two unit fractions?

The aim of the game is to slide the green square from the top right hand corner to the bottom left hand corner in the least number of moves.

The Egyptians expressed all fractions as the sum of different unit fractions. Here is a chance to explore how they could have written different fractions.

The sum of the numbers 4 and 1 [1/3] is the same as the product of 4 and 1 [1/3]; that is to say 4 + 1 [1/3] = 4 × 1 [1/3]. What other numbers have the sum equal to the product and can this be so for. . . .

It would be nice to have a strategy for disentangling any tangled ropes...

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.

Delight your friends with this cunning trick! Can you explain how it works?

Using the same starter numbers 2, 1, 4 and 6 can you get a larger total at the top of the pyramid? What is the largest total you can get?

Start with any number of counters in any number of piles. 2 players take it in turns to remove any number of counters from a single pile. The winner is the player to take the last counter.
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.

Can you work out how to win this game of Nim? Does it matter if you go first or second?

Watch this film carefully. Can you find a general rule for explaining when the dot will be this same distance from the horizontal axis?

A game for 2 players with similaritlies to NIM. Place one counter on each spot on the games board. Players take it is turns to remove 1 or 2 adjacent counters. The winner picks up the last counter.

An article for teachers and pupils that encourages you to look at the mathematical properties of similar games.

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.

Triangle numbers can be represented by a triangular array of squares. What do you notice about the sum of identical triangle numbers?

What would you get if you continued this sequence of fraction sums? 1/2 + 2/1 = 2/3 + 3/2 = 3/4 + 4/3 =

What are the areas of these triangles? What do you notice? Can you generalise to other "families" of triangles?

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?

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?

You can solve frogs on the computer, using counters, or acting it out. Start with frogs in a line on one side, and toads on the other, with a space in between. They need to change places.

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?

Do you notice anything about the solutions when you add and/or subtract consecutive negative numbers?

A package contains a set of resources designed to develop pupils’ mathematical thinking. This package places a particular emphasis on “generalising” and is designed to meet the. . . .

What would be the smallest number of moves needed to move a Knight from a chess set from one corner to the opposite corner of a 99 by 99 square board?

Can you see how to build a harmonic triangle? Can you work out the next two rows?

How could Penny, Tom and Matthew work out how many chocolates there are in different sized boxes?

Use your addition and subtraction skills, combined with some strategic thinking, to beat your partner at this game.

Can you dissect an equilateral triangle into 6 smaller ones? What number of smaller equilateral triangles is it NOT possible to dissect a larger equilateral triangle into?

Find out what a "fault-free" rectangle is and try to make some of your own.

Can you see why 2 by 2 could be 5? Can you predict what 2 by 10 will be?

Use the interactivity to investigate what kinds of triangles can be drawn on peg boards with different numbers of pegs.

Choose four consecutive whole numbers. Multiply the first and last numbers together. Multiply the middle pair together. What do you notice?

Think of a number, square it and subtract your starting number. Is the number you’re left with odd or even? How do the images help to explain this?

One block is needed to make an up-and-down staircase, with one step up and one step down. How many blocks would be needed to build an up-and-down staircase with 5 steps up and 5 steps down?

Square numbers can be represented as the sum of consecutive odd numbers. What is the sum of 1 + 3 + ..... + 149 + 151 + 153?

A country has decided to have just two different coins, 3z and 5z coins. Which totals can be made? Is there a largest total that cannot be made? How do you know?
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.

Continue this pattern made from squares and equilateral triangles. Can you describe the patterns?

Can you find the value of the circles when you know what's in the squares?

Can you find an efficient method to work out how many handshakes there would be if hundreds of people met?

Find some examples of pairs of numbers such that their sum is a factor of their product. eg. 4 + 12 = 16 and 4 × 12 = 48 and 16 is a factor of 48.

Only one side of a two-slice toaster is working. What is the quickest way to toast both sides of three slices of bread?

Use the animation to help you work out how many lines are needed to draw mystic roses of different sizes.

Imagine a large cube made from small red cubes being dropped into a pot of yellow paint. Can you predict how many of the faces of the smaller cubes will remain red?

Charlie has moved between countries and the average income of both has increased. How can this be so?

Find the areas of some of the different squares you can make. What do you notice from your results? What areas are possible? What areas are impossible? Why?