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Pebbles

Place four pebbles on the sand in the form of a square. Keep adding as few pebbles as necessary to double the area. How many extra pebbles are added each time?

Bracelets

Investigate the different shaped bracelets you could make from 18 different spherical beads. How do they compare if you use 24 beads?

Sweets in a Box

How many different shaped boxes can you design for 36 sweets in one layer? Can you arrange the sweets so that no sweets of the same colour are next to each other in any direction?

Cycling Squares

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level

In the circle of numbers below each adjoining pair adds to make a square number:


circle of numbers from top going clockwise: 14, 2, 7, 9, 16, 20, 29, 35.

For example,

$14 + 2 = 16, 2 + 7 = 9, 7 + 9 = 16$

and so on.

Can you make a similar - but larger - cycle of pairs that each add to make a square number, using all the numbers in the box below, once and once only?
 

Numbers given: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 7, 19, 21, 28, 30, 34
 
 
You might find it helpful to print off and cut up these cards of the numbers so you can move them around to try out your ideas.
The NRICH Project aims to enrich the mathematical experiences of all learners. To support this aim, members of the NRICH team work in a wide range of capacities, including providing professional development for teachers wishing to embed rich mathematical tasks into everyday classroom practice.
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