Angle of Shot
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
At what angle should you release the shot to break Olympic records?
10 Olympic Starters
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
10 intriguing starters related to the mechanics of sport.
Little Little G
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
See how little g and your weight varies around the world. Did this variation help Bob Beamon to long-jumping succes in 1968?
Any Win for Tennis?
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
What are your chances of winning a game of tennis?
Decathlon: the Art of Scoring Points
Age 14 to 18
How do decisions about scoring affect who wins a combined event such as the decathlon?
Stadium Sightline
Age 14 to 18 Challenge Level:
How would you design the tiering of seats in a stadium so that all spectators have a good view?
What's the Point of Squash?
Age 14 to 18 Challenge Level:
Under which circumstances would you choose to play to 10 points in a game of squash which is currently tied at 8-all?
Alternative Record Book
Age 14 to 18 Challenge Level:
In which Olympic event does a human travel fastest? Decide which events to include in your Alternative Record Book.
High Jumping
Age 14 to 18
How high can a high jumper jump? How can a high jumper jump higher without jumping higher? Read on...
Speed-time Problems at the Olympics
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to race against Usain Bolt?
Who's the Winner?
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
When two closely matched teams play each other, what is the most likely result?
The Olympic Torch Tour
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
Imagine you had to plan the tour for the Olympic Torch. Is there an efficient way of choosing the shortest possible route?
Training Schedule
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
The heptathlon is an athletics competition consisting of 7 events. Can you make sense of the scoring system in order to advise a heptathlete on the best way to reach her target?
Nutrition and Cycling
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
Andy wants to cycle from Land's End to John o'Groats. Will he be able to eat enough to keep him going?
Olympic Triathlon
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
Is it the fastest swimmer, the fastest runner or the fastest cyclist who wins the Olympic Triathlon?
Track Design
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
Where should runners start the 200m race so that they have all run the same distance by the finish?
The Fastest Cyclist
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
Andy is desperate to reach John o'Groats first. Can you devise a winning race plan?
Secondary Sport Collection
Age 11 to 18
This is our secondary collection of favourite mathematics and sport materials.
Weekly Challenge 20: the Olympic LOGO
Age 11 to 18 Short Challenge Level:
A weekly challenge concerning drawing shapes algorithmically.
Olympic Logic
Age 11 to 16 Challenge Level:
Can you use your powers of logic and deduction to work out the missing information in these sporty situations?
Olympic Records
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Can you deduce which Olympic athletics events are represented by the graphs?
Medal Muddle
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Countries from across the world competed in a sports tournament. Can you devise an efficient strategy to work out the order in which they finished?
Who's the Best?
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Which countries have the most naturally athletic populations?
Olympic Measures
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
These Olympic quantities have been jumbled up! Can you put them back together again?
Performing Beyond Expectations - Using Sport to Motivate Students in Mathematics Lessons
Age 7 to 16
In this article, Alan Parr shares his experiences of the motivating effect sport can have on the learning of mathematics.
Olympic Starters
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
Look at some of the results from the Olympic Games in the past. How do you compare if you try some similar activities?
Now and Then
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
Look at the changes in results on some of the athletics track events at the Olympic Games in 1908 and 1948. Compare the results for 2012.
Olympic Turns
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
This task looks at the different turns involved in different Olympic sports as a way of exploring the mathematics of turns and angles.
Sport Collection
Age 5 to 18 Challenge Level:
This is our collection of favourite mathematics and sport materials.
Olympic Cards
Age 5 to 11 Challenge Level:
Design your own scoring system and play Trumps with these Olympic Sport cards.
Half Time
Age 5 to 11 Challenge Level:
What could the half time scores have been in these Olympic hockey matches?
Opening Patterns
Age 5 to 7 Challenge Level:
Look at some of the patterns in the Olympic Opening ceremonies and see what shapes you can spot.
Can You Do it Too?
Age 5 to 7 Challenge Level:
Try some throwing activities and see whether you can throw something as far as the Olympic hammer or discus throwers.
Who Can Be the Winner?
Age 5 to 7 Challenge Level:
Some children have been doing different tasks. Can you see who was the winner?
NRICH is part of the family of activities in the Millennium Mathematics Project.