Exploring Wild & Wonderful Number Patterns

EWWNP means Exploring Wild and Wonderful Number Patterns Created by Yourself! Investigate what happens if we create number patterns using some simple rules.

Sending Cards

This challenge asks you to investigate the total number of cards that would be sent if four children send one to all three others. How many would be sent if there were five children? Six?

Dice and Spinner Numbers

If you had any number of ordinary dice, what are the possible ways of making their totals 6? What would the product of the dice be each time?

Oranges and Lemons

Why do this problem?

This problem lends itself to a systematic approach to trial and improvement. It could be used to extend learners when mass is being taught or revised. Alternatively, it could be used as an exercise in number work. A discussion of the role of the fraction in the problem might be interesting

Key questions

What is the most a lemon can weigh?
Do you have to have a multiple of $3$ lemons?
Is there more than one possible answer?
How you know you have all the solutions?

Possible extension

Learners could make a table to show the possible solutions and those which are not possible.

Possible support

Suggest listing some possibilities.