NRICH Primary Curriculum Map

The problems linked below have detailed Teachers' Resources suggesting how they can be integrated into lessons.

Please email any comments to primary.nrich@maths.org

Looking for secondary problems? See the NRICH Secondary Curriculum Map.

Key

Games are indicated by ‘G’ and Articles by 'A'.

Tasks badged filled star are suitable for the whole class;
Tasks badged filled starfilled star are suitable for the majority;
Tasks badged filled starfilled starfilled star are for those who like a serious challenge.

Highlight ‘Thinking mathematically’ or ‘Mathematical mindset’ problems

Number - Addition and Subtraction

EYFS Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Post-Primary

Number Bonds

ELG - Automatically recall (without reference to rhymes, counting or other aids) number bonds up to 5 (including subtraction facts) and some number bonds to 10, including double facts
Shopping - Pirate Poundland Shopping - Pirate Poundland
In the pirate pound shop, children can practise their counting skills by choosing ten items to spend their ten pounds on.
Double Trouble Double Trouble
This story about some troublesome dogs encourages children to find and model doubles of different numbers.
Represent and use number bonds and related subtraction facts within 20
Butterfly Flowers Butterfly Flowers
Can you find two butterflies to go on each flower so that the numbers on each pair of butterflies adds to the number on their flower?
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One Big Triangle One Big Triangle
Make one big triangle so the numbers that touch on the small triangles add to 10.
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Number Lines Number Lines
Leah and Tom each have a number line. Can you work out where their counters will land?
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Domino Sorting Domino Sorting
Try grouping the dominoes in the ways described. Are there any left over each time? Can you explain why?
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Ladybirds in the Garden Ladybirds in the Garden
In Sam and Jill's garden there are two sorts of ladybirds with 7 spots or 4 spots. What numbers of total spots can you make?
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Pairs of Numbers Pairs of Numbers
If you have ten counters numbered 1 to 10, how many can you put into pairs that add to 10? Which ones do you have to leave out? Why?
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Recall and use addition and subtraction facts to 20 fluently, and derive and use related facts up to 100
Number Round Up Number Round Up
Arrange the numbers 1 to 6 in each set of circles below. The sum of each side of the triangle should equal the number in its centre.
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Strike it Out Strike it Out
Use your addition and subtraction skills, combined with some strategic thinking, to beat your partner at this game.
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Mental Calculation

Add and subtract one-digit and two-digit numbers to 20, including zero
Sort them out (1) Sort them out (1)
Can you each work out the number on your card? What do you notice? How could you sort the cards?
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Find the Difference Find the Difference
Place the numbers 1 to 6 in the circles so that each number is the difference between the two numbers just below it.
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Number Balance Number Balance
Can you hang weights in the right place to make the the number balance balanced?
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Two Dice Two Dice
Find all the numbers that can be made by adding the dots on two dice.
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Add and subtract numbers using concrete objects, pictorial representations, and mentally, including: - a two-digit number and ones - a two-digit number and tens - two two-digit numbers - adding three one-digit numbers
Jumping squares Jumping squares
In this problem it is not the squares that jump, you do the jumping! The idea is to go round the track in as few jumps as possible.
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Unit Differences Unit Differences
This challenge is about finding the difference between numbers which have the same tens digit.
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Arranging Additions and Sorting Subtractions Arranging Additions and Sorting Subtractions
Order these four calculations from easiest to hardest. How did you decide?
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Dicey Addition Dicey Addition
In these addition games, you'll need to think strategically to get closest to the target.
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Subtraction Slip Subtraction Slip
Can you spot the mistake in this video? How would you work out the answer to this calculation?
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Add and subtract numbers mentally, including: - a three-digit number and ones - a three-digit number and tens - a three-digit number and hundreds
Add and subtract numbers mentally with increasingly large numbers
Perform mental calculations, including with mixed operations and large numbers
Dicey Operations Dicey Operations
In these addition and subtraction games, you'll need to think strategically to get closest to the target.
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Number Operations and Calculation Methods

Read, write and interpret mathematical statements involving addition (+), subtraction (-) and equals (=) signs (appears also in Written Methods)
2, 4, 6, 8 2, 4, 6, 8
Using the cards 2, 4, 6, 8, +, - and =, what number statements can you make?
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What Could It Be? What Could It Be?
In this calculation, the box represents a missing digit. What could the digit be? What would the solution be in each case?
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Equivalent Pairs Equivalent Pairs
Can you match pairs of cards which show the same amount?
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How do you see it? How do you see it?
Here are some short problems for you to try. Talk to your friends about how you work them out.
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Show that addition of two numbers can be done in any order (commutative) and subtraction of one number from another cannot
Use their knowledge of the order of operations to carry out calculations involving the four operations

Written Methods

Read, write and interpret mathematical statements involving addition (+), subtraction (-) and equals (=) signs
2, 4, 6, 8 2, 4, 6, 8
Using the cards 2, 4, 6, 8, +, - and =, what number statements can you make?
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What Could It Be? What Could It Be?
In this calculation, the box represents a missing digit. What could the digit be? What would the solution be in each case?
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How do you see it? How do you see it?
Here are some short problems for you to try. Talk to your friends about how you work them out.
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Add and subtract numbers with up to three digits, using formal written methods of columnar addition and subtraction
Add and subtract numbers with up to 4 digits using the formal written methods of columnar addition and subtraction where appropriate
Add and subtract whole numbers with more than 4 digits, including using formal written methods (columnar addition and subtraction)

Number Operations and Calculation Methods

Inverse Operations, Estimating and Checking Answers

Recognise and use the inverse relationship between addition and subtraction and use this to check calculations and solve missing number problems
The add and take-away path The add and take-away path
Two children made up a game as they walked along the garden paths. Can you find out their scores? Can you find some paths of your own?
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Doing and undoing Doing and undoing
An investigation looking at doing and undoing mathematical operations focusing on doubling, halving, adding and subtracting.
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Secret Number Secret Number
Annie and Ben are playing a game with a calculator. What was Annie's secret number?
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What was in the Box? What was in the Box?
This box does something to the numbers that go into it. If you know the numbers that come out, what might be going on inside the box?
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How Many? How Many?
This project challenges you to work out the number of cubes hidden under a cloth. What questions would you like to ask?
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Estimate the answer to a calculation and use inverse operations to check answers
Estimate and use inverse operations to check answers to a calculation
Use rounding to check answers to calculations and determine, in the context of a problem, levels of accuracy
Use estimation to check answers to calculations and determine, in the context of a problem, an appropriate degree of accuracy
Four Go Four Go
This challenge is a game for two players. Choose two of the numbers to multiply or divide, then mark your answer on the number line. Can you get four in a row?
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Number Operations and Calculation Methods

Problem Solving

Solve one-step problems that involve addition and subtraction, using concrete objects and pictorial representations, and missing number problems such as 7 = ? - 9
The Tall Tower The Tall Tower
As you come down the ladders of the Tall Tower you collect useful spells. Which way should you go to collect the most spells?
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Solve problems with addition and subtraction: - using concrete objects and pictorial representations, including those involving numbers, quantities and measures - applying their increasing knowledge of mental and written methods
Birthday Cakes Birthday Cakes
Jack's mum bought some candles to use on his birthday cakes and when his sister was born, she used them on her cakes too. Can you use the information to find out when Kate was born?
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Heads and Feet Heads and Feet
On a farm there were some hens and sheep. Altogether there were 8 heads and 22 feet. How many hens were there?
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What's in a Name? What's in a Name?
What do you notice about these squares of numbers? What is the same? What is different?
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Sitting round the party tables Sitting round the party tables
Sweets are given out to party-goers in a particular way. Investigate the total number of sweets received by people sitting in different positions.
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Half Time Half Time
What could the half time scores have been in these Olympic hockey matches?
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Two Spinners Two Spinners
What two-digit numbers can you make with these two dice? What can't you make?
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Cuisenaire Counting Cuisenaire Counting
Here are some rods that are different colours. How could I make a yellow rod using white and red rods?
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Eggs in Baskets Eggs in Baskets
There are three baskets, a brown one, a red one and a pink one, holding a total of 10 eggs. How many eggs are in each basket?
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Noah Noah
Noah saw 12 legs walk by into the Ark. How many creatures did he see?
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The Brown family The Brown family
Use the information about Sally and her brother to find out how many children there are in the Brown family.
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Solve problems, including missing number problems, using number facts, place value, and more complex addition and subtraction
Domino Square Domino Square
Use the 'double-3 down' dominoes to make a square so that each side has eight dots.
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Buying a Balloon Buying a Balloon
Lolla bought a balloon at the circus. She gave the clown six coins to pay for it. What could Lolla have paid for the balloon?
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Finding Fifteen Finding Fifteen
Tim had nine cards each with a different number from 1 to 9 on it. How could he have put them into three piles so that the total in each pile was 15?
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Play to 37 Play to 37
In this game for two players, the idea is to take it in turns to choose 1, 3, 5 or 7. The winner is the first to make the total 37.
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Build it up Build it up
Can you find all the ways to get 15 at the top of this triangle of numbers? Many opportunities to work in different ways.
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4 Dom 4 Dom
Use these four dominoes to make a square that has the same number of dots on each side.
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Super Shapes Super Shapes
The value of the circle changes in each of the following problems. Can you discover its value in each problem?
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Got It Got It
A game for two people, or play online. Given a target number, say 23, and a range of numbers to choose from, say 1-4, players take it in turns to add to the running total to hit their target.
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Consecutive Numbers Consecutive Numbers
An investigation involving adding and subtracting sets of consecutive numbers. Lots to find out, lots to explore.
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A Mixed-up Clock A Mixed-up Clock
There is a clock-face where the numbers have become all mixed up. Can you find out where all the numbers have got to from these ten statements?
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Dice in a Corner Dice in a Corner
How could you arrange at least two dice in a stack so that the total of the visible spots is 18?
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Strike it Out Strike it Out
Use your addition and subtraction skills, combined with some strategic thinking, to beat your partner at this game.
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Solve addition and subtraction two-step problems in contexts, deciding which operations and methods to use and why
Sealed Solution Sealed Solution
Ten cards are put into five envelopes so that there are two cards in each envelope. The sum of the numbers inside it is written on each envelope. What numbers could be inside the envelopes?
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Fifteen cards Fifteen cards
Can you use the information to find out which cards I have used?
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Roll these Dice Roll these Dice
Roll two red dice and a green dice. Add the two numbers on the red dice and take away the number on the green. What are all the different possible answers?
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Amy's Dominoes Amy's Dominoes
Amy has a box containing domino pieces but she does not think it is a complete set. Which of her domino pieces are missing?
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Solve addition and subtraction multi-step problems in contexts, deciding which operations and methods to use and why
Maze 100 Maze 100
Can you go through this maze so that the numbers you pass add to exactly 100?
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Six Ten Total Six Ten Total
This challenge combines addition, multiplication, perseverance and even proof.
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Six Numbered Cubes Six Numbered Cubes
This task combines spatial awareness with addition and multiplication.
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Subtraction Surprise Subtraction Surprise
Try out some calculations. Are you surprised by the results?
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Reach 100 Reach 100
Choose four different digits from 1-9 and put one in each box so that the resulting four two-digit numbers add to a total of 100.
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Twenty Divided into Six Twenty Divided into Six
Katie had a pack of 20 cards numbered from 1 to 20. She arranged the cards into 6 unequal piles where each pile added to the same total. What was the total and how could this be done?
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Solve addition and subtraction multi-step problems in contexts, deciding which operations and methods to use and why

Number Operations and Calculation Methods

Solve problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
Planning a School Trip Planning a School Trip
You are organising a school trip and you need to write a letter to parents to let them know about the day. Use the cards to gather all the information you need.
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Two and Two Two and Two
How many solutions can you find to this sum? Each of the different letters stands for a different number.
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Three neighbours Three neighbours
Take three consecutive numbers and add them together. What do you notice?
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Always, sometimes or never? Number Always, sometimes or never? Number
Are these statements always true, sometimes true or never true?
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4 by 4 Mathdokus 4 by 4 Mathdokus
Can you use the clues to complete these 4 by 4 Mathematical Sudokus?
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