Small and Beautiful - September 2003, Stage 3&4

Problems

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LOGO Challenge - the Humble Square

Stage: 2, 3 and 4 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:1

Look at how the pattern is built up - in that way you will know how to break the final pattern down into more manageable pieces.

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Sept 03

Stage: 3 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:2 Challenge Level:2

What is the last digit of the number 1 / 5^903 ?

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Repetitiously

Stage: 3 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:2 Challenge Level:2

The number 2.525252525252.... can be written as a fraction. What is the sum of the denominator and numerator?

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Hidden Squares

Stage: 3 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:2 Challenge Level:2

Rectangles are considered different if they vary in size or have different locations. How many different rectangles can be drawn on a chessboard?

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Adding Triangles

Stage: 3 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3

What is the total area of the first two triangles as a fraction of the original A4 rectangle? What is the total area of the first three triangles as a fraction of the original A4 rectangle? If. . . .

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Terminology

Stage: 3 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3

Triangle ABC is isosceles while triangle DEF is equilateral. Find one angle in terms of the other two.

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Rati-o

Stage: 3 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3

Points P, Q, R and S each divide the sides AB, BC, CD and DA respectively in the ratio of 2 : 1. Join the points. What is the area of the parallelogram PQRS in relation to the original rectangle?

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Three Times Seven

Stage: 3 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3

A three digit number abc is always divisible by 7 when 2a+3b+c is divisible by 7. Why?

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Six Times Five

Stage: 3 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3

How many six digit numbers are there which DO NOT contain a 5?

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Excel Investigation: Power Crazy

Stage: 3 and 4 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:2 Challenge Level:2

When is 7^n + 3^n a multiple of 10? Use Excel to investigate, and try to explain what you find out.

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Tiny Nines

Stage: 4 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:1

Find the decimal equivalents of the fractions one ninth, one ninety ninth, one nine hundred and ninety ninth etc. Explain the pattern you get and generalise.

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Dodecawhat

Stage: 4 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:1

Follow instructions to fold sheets of A4 paper into pentagons and assemble them to form a dodecahedron. Calculate the error in the angle of the not perfectly regular pentagons you make.

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Semi-detached

Stage: 4 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:2 Challenge Level:2

A square of area 40 square cms is inscribed in a semicircle. Find the area of the square that could be inscribed in a circle of the same radius.

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Fac-finding

Stage: 4 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:2 Challenge Level:2

Lyndon chose this as one of his favourite problems. It is accessible but needs some careful analysis of what is included and what is not. A systematic approach is really helpful.

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Circumnavigation

Stage: 4 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3

The sides of a triangle are 25, 39 and 40 units of length. Find the diameter of the circumscribed circle.

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