Working systematically

  • Seeing Rhombuses
    problem

    Seeing Rhombuses

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star empty star

    Players take it in turns to choose a dot on the grid. The winner is the first to have four dots that can be joined to form a rhombus.

  • Dart Target
    problem

    Dart Target

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star filled star

    This task, written for the National Young Mathematicians' Award 2016, invites you to explore the different combinations of scores that you might get on these dart boards.

  • Painting Possibilities
    problem

    Painting Possibilities

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star filled star

    This task, written for the National Young Mathematicians' Award 2016, involves open-topped boxes made with interlocking cubes. Explore the number of units of paint that are needed to cover the boxes and the small cubes that would fit inside each one.

  • Open Squares
    problem

    Open Squares

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star filled star

    This task, written for the National Young Mathematicians' Award 2016, focuses on 'open squares'. What would the next five open squares look like?

  • Calcunos
    problem

    Calcunos

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star filled star
    If we had 16 light bars which digital numbers could we make? How will you know you've found them all?
  • Making Squares
    problem

    Making Squares

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star filled star
    Investigate all the different squares you can make on this 5 by 5 grid by making your starting side go from the bottom left hand point. Can you find out the areas of all these squares?
  • A glass bowl of cream-coloured ice cream.
    problem

    Ice Cream

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star filled star

    In the café, your ice cream selection can't include a combination that someone else has chosen. What could these seven children have chosen?

  • A row of bungalows with triangular roofs.
    problem

    Penta Place

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star filled star

    Penta people, the Pentominoes, always build their houses from five square rooms. I wonder how many different Penta homes you can create?

  • On Target
    problem

    On Target

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star filled star
    You have 5 darts and your target score is 44. How many different ways could you score 44?
  • ABC
    problem

    ABC

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star filled star

    In the multiplication calculation, some of the digits have been replaced by letters and others by asterisks. Can you reconstruct the original multiplication?