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 - Multiplication, Division and Ratio

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

Multiplication and Division Facts

ELG - Explore and represent patterns within numbers up to 10, including evens and odds, double facts and how quantities can be distributed equally
Two Halves Two Halves
This task provides children with the opportunity to investigate halving different shapes and check that they have made two halves.
Maths Story Time Maths Story Time
This story provides an engaging context for children to share out the treasure fairly among the characters.
Baskets Baskets
This activity encourages children to practise their sharing and counting skills by putting small objects into some baskets.
Using books: The Doorbell Rang Using books: The Doorbell Rang
In this activity, the book 'The Doorbell Rang' by Pat Hutchins provides an engaging context in which children can explore sharing.

Number Operations and Calculation Methods

Recall and use multiplication and division facts for the 2, 5 and 10 multiplication tables, including recognising odd and even numbers
More Numbers in the Ring More Numbers in the Ring
If there are 3 squares in the ring, can you place three different numbers in them so that their differences are odd? Try with different numbers of squares around the ring. What do you notice?
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Clapping Times Clapping Times
If you count from 1 to 20 and clap more loudly on the numbers in the two times table, as well as saying those numbers loudly, which numbers will be loud?
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Even and odd Even and odd
This activity is best done with a whole class or in a large group. Can you match the cards? What happens when you add pairs of the numbers together?
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How Odd How Odd
This problem challenges you to find out how many odd numbers there are between pairs of numbers. Can you find a pair of numbers that has four odds between them?
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Pairs of legs Pairs of legs
How many legs do each of these creatures have? How many pairs is that?
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Two numbers under the microscope Two numbers under the microscope
This investigates one particular property of number by looking closely at an example of adding two odd numbers together.
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Odd times Even Odd times Even
This problem looks at how one example of your choice can show something about the general structure of multiplication.
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Double or Halve? Double or Halve?
Throw the dice and decide whether to double or halve the number. Will you be the first to reach the target?
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Number Detective Number Detective
Follow the clues to find the mystery number.
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Tables Teaser Tables Teaser
How will you work out which numbers have been used to create this multiplication square?
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Always, Sometimes or Never? Always, Sometimes or Never?
Are these statements relating to odd and even numbers always true, sometimes true or never true?
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Ring a Ring of Numbers Ring a Ring of Numbers
Choose four of the numbers from 1 to 9 to put in the squares so that the differences between joined squares are odd.
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Make 37 Make 37
Four bags contain a large number of 1s, 3s, 5s and 7s. Can you pick any ten numbers from the bags so that their total is 37?
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Recall and use multiplication and division facts for the 3, 4 and 8 multiplication tables
Music to my Ears Music to my Ears
Can you predict when you'll be clapping and when you'll be clicking if you start this rhythm? How about when a friend begins a new rhythm at the same time?
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Ordering cards Ordering cards
This problem is designed to help children to learn, and to use, the two and three times tables.
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Recall multiplication and division facts for multiplication tables up to 12x12
Let us divide! Let us divide!
Look at different ways of dividing things. What do they mean? How might you show them in a picture, with things, with numbers and symbols?
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Satisfying Four Statements Satisfying Four Statements
Can you find any two-digit numbers that satisfy all of these statements?
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Multiplication Square Jigsaw Multiplication Square Jigsaw
Can you complete this jigsaw of the multiplication square?
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The Remainders Game The Remainders Game
Play this game and see if you can figure out the computer's chosen number.
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Multiples Grid Multiples Grid
What do the numbers shaded in blue on this hundred square have in common? What do you notice about the pink numbers? How about the shaded numbers in the other squares?
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Shape Times Shape Shape Times Shape
These eleven shapes each stand for a different number. Can you use the number sentences to work out what they are?
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Remainders Remainders
I'm thinking of a number. My number is both a multiple of 5 and a multiple of 6. What could my number be?
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Zios and Zepts Zios and Zepts
On the planet Vuv there are two sorts of creatures. The Zios have 3 legs and the Zepts have 7 legs. The great planetary explorer Nico counted 52 legs. How many Zios and how many Zepts were there?
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Carrying Cards Carrying Cards
These sixteen children are standing in four lines of four, one behind the other. They are each holding a card with a number on it. Can you work out the missing numbers?
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Table patterns go wild! Table patterns go wild!
Nearly all of us have made table patterns on hundred squares, that is 10 by 10 grids. This problem looks at the patterns on differently sized square grids.
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Light the Lights Again Light the Lights Again
Each light in this interactivity turns on according to a rule. What happens when you enter different numbers? Can you find the smallest number that lights up all four lights?
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Times Tables Shifts Times Tables Shifts
In this activity, the computer chooses a times table and shifts it. Can you work out the table and the shift each time?
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Mental Calculation

Write and calculate mathematical statements for multiplication and division using the multiplication tables that they know, including for two-digit numbers times one-digit numbers, using mental and progressing to formal written methods (appears also in Written Methods)
Which symbol? Which symbol?
Choose a symbol to put into the number sentence.
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Use place value, known and derived facts to multiply and divide mentally, including: multiplying by 0 and 1; dividing by 1; multiplying together three numbers
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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Digit Discovery Digit Discovery
Here is an interesting property about two sets of digits. Can you work out what the digits might be?
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Climbing Conundrum Climbing Conundrum
Five children are taking part in a climbing competition with three parts, where their score for each part will be multiplied together. Can you see how the leaderboard will change depending on what happens in the final climb of the competition?
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Multiply and divide numbers mentally drawing upon known facts
Picture Your Method Picture Your Method
Can you match these calculation methods to their visual representations?
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Compare the Calculations Compare the Calculations
Can you put these four calculations into order of difficulty? How did you decide?
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Perform mental calculations, including with mixed operations and large numbers
More Dicey operations More Dicey operations
In these multiplication and division games, you'll need to think strategically to get closest to the target.
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Number Operations and Calculation Methods

Show that multiplication of two numbers can be done in any order (commutative) and division of one number by another cannot
Recognise and use factor pairs and commutativity in mental calculations
Multiply and divide whole numbers and those involving decimals by 10, 100 and 1000
Multiply Multiples 1 Multiply Multiples 1
Can you complete this calculation by filling in the missing numbers? In how many different ways can you do it?
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Multiply Multiples 2 Multiply Multiples 2
Can you work out some different ways to balance this equation?
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Multiply Multiples 3 Multiply Multiples 3
Have a go at balancing this equation. Can you find different ways of doing it?
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An Easy Way to Multiply by 10? An Easy Way to Multiply by 10?
Do you agree with Badger's statements? Is Badger's reasoning 'watertight'? Why or why not?
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Written Calculation

Calculate mathematical statements for multiplication and division within the multiplication tables and write them using the multiplication (x), division (÷) and equals (=) signs
I'm Eight I'm Eight
Find a great variety of ways of asking questions which make 8.
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Write and calculate mathematical statements for multiplication and division using the multiplication tables that they know, including for two-digit numbers times one-digit numbers, using mental and progressing to formal written methods (appears also in Mental Methods)
Multiply two-digit and three-digit numbers by a one-digit number using formal written layout
Multiply numbers up to 4 digits by a one- or two-digit number using a formal written method, including long multiplication for two-digit numbers
All the Digits All the Digits
This multiplication uses each of the digits 0 - 9 once and once only. Using the information given, can you replace the stars in the calculation with figures?
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Trebling Trebling
Can you replace the letters with numbers? Is there only one solution in each case?
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Multiply multi-digit numbers up to 4 digits by a two-digit whole number using the formal written method of long multiplication

Number Operations and Calculation Methods

Divide numbers up to 4 digits by a one-digit number using the formal written method of short division and interpret remainders appropriately for the context
Division Rules Division Rules
This challenge encourages you to explore dividing a three-digit number by a single-digit number.
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Divide numbers up to 4 digits by a two-digit whole number using the formal written method of short division where appropriate for the context divide numbers up to 4 digits by a two-digit whole number using the formal written method of long division, and interpret remainders as whole number remainders, fractions, or by rounding, as appropriate for the context
So it's times! So it's times!
How will you decide which way of flipping over and/or turning the grid will give you the highest total?
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Properties of Numbers: Multiples, Factors, Primes, Square and Cube Numbers

Recognise and use factor pairs and commutativity in mental calculations (appears also in Mental Calculation)
Identify multiples and factors, including finding all factor pairs of a number, and common factors of two numbers
Factor track Factor track
Factor track is not a race but a game of skill. The idea is to go round the track in as few moves as possible, keeping to the rules.
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Flashing Lights Flashing Lights
Norrie sees two lights flash at the same time, then one of them flashes every 4th second, and the other flashes every 5th second. How many times do they flash together during a whole minute?
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Sweets in a box 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?
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Which is quicker? Which is quicker?
Which is quicker, counting up to 30 in ones or counting up to 300 in tens? Why?
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Multiplication Squares Multiplication Squares
Can you work out the arrangement of the digits in the square so that the given products are correct? The numbers 1 - 9 may be used once and once only.
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Factors and Multiples Game Factors and Multiples Game
A game in which players take it in turns to choose a number. Can you block your opponent?
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Three Dice Three Dice
Investigate the sum of the numbers on the top and bottom faces of a line of three dice. What do you notice?
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Pebbles 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?
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Abundant Numbers Abundant Numbers
48 is called an abundant number because it is less than the sum of its factors (without itself). Can you find some more abundant numbers?
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Identify common factors, common multiples and prime numbers
Mystery Matrix Mystery Matrix
Can you fill in this table square? The numbers 2 -12 were used to generate it with just one number used twice.
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The moons of Vuvv The moons of Vuvv
The planet of Vuvv has seven moons. Can you work out how long it is between each super-eclipse?
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Factor Lines Factor Lines
Arrange the four number cards on the grid, according to the rules, to make a diagonal, vertical or horizontal line.
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Factor-Multiple Chains Factor-Multiple Chains
Can you see how these factor-multiple chains work? Find the chain which contains the smallest possible numbers. How about the largest possible numbers?
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Round and round the circle Round and round the circle
What happens if you join every second point on this circle? How about every third point? Try with different steps and see if you can predict what will happen.
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Counting Cogs Counting Cogs
Which pairs of cogs let the coloured tooth touch every tooth on the other cog? Which pairs do not let this happen? Why?
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Factors, Multiples and Primes

Know and use the vocabulary of prime numbers, prime factors and composite (non-prime) numbers
Two Primes Make One Square Two Primes Make One Square
Can you make square numbers by adding two prime numbers together?
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Xavi's T-shirt Xavi's T-shirt
How much can you read into a T-shirt?
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Establish whether a number up to 100 is prime and recall prime numbers up to 19
Dicey Array Dicey Array
Watch the video of this game being played. Can you work out the rules? Which dice totals are good to get, and why?
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Recognise and use square numbers and cube numbers, and the notation for squared (²) and cubed (³)
Square subtraction Square subtraction
Look at what happens when you take a number, square it and subtract your answer. What kind of number do you get? Can you prove it?
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Picture a Pyramid Picture a Pyramid
Imagine a pyramid which is built in square layers of small cubes. If we number the cubes from the top, starting with 1, can you picture which cubes are directly below this first cube?
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One Wasn't Square One Wasn't Square
Mrs Morgan, the class's teacher, pinned numbers onto the backs of three children. Use the information to find out what the three numbers were.
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Up and Down Staircases Up and Down Staircases
One block is needed to make an up-and-down staircase, with one step up and one step down. How many blocks would be needed to build an up-and-down staircase with 5 steps up and 5 steps down?
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Cycling Squares Cycling Squares
Can you make a cycle of pairs that add to make a square number using all the numbers in the box below, once and once only?
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Order of Operations

Use their knowledge of the order of operations to carry out calculations involving the four operations

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 involving multiplication and division, by calculating the answer using concrete objects, pictorial representations and arrays with the support of the teacher
Share Bears Share Bears
Yasmin and Zach have some bears to share. Which numbers of bears can they share so that there are none left over?
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Doubling Fives Doubling Fives
This activity focuses on doubling multiples of five.
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Lots of Biscuits! Lots of Biscuits!
Help share out the biscuits the children have made.
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Solve problems involving multiplication and division, using materials, arrays, repeated addition, mental methods, and multiplication and division facts, including problems in contexts
Catrina's Cards Catrina's Cards
How would you find out how many football cards Catrina has collected?
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Are you well Balanced? Are you well Balanced?
Can you work out how to make each side of this balance equally balanced? You can put more than one weight on a hook.
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Birthday Sharing Birthday Sharing
It's Sahila's birthday and she is having a party. How could you answer these questions using a picture, with things, with numbers or symbols?
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Our Numbers Our Numbers
These spinners will give you the tens and unit digits of a number. Can you choose sets of numbers to collect so that you spin six numbers belonging to your sets in as few spins as possible?
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Ip Dip Ip Dip
"Ip dip sky blue! Who's 'it'? It's you!" Where would you position yourself so that you are 'it' if there are two players? Three players ...?
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Growing Garlic Growing Garlic
Ben and his mum are planting garlic. Can you find out how many cloves of garlic they might have had?
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Magic Plant Magic Plant
On Friday the magic plant was only 2 centimetres tall. Every day it doubled its height. How tall was it on Monday?
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The Amazing Splitting Plant The Amazing Splitting Plant
Can you work out how many flowers there will be on the Amazing Splitting Plant after it has been growing for six weeks?
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The tomato and the bean The tomato and the bean
At the beginning of May, Tom put his tomato plant outside. On the same day he sowed a bean in another pot. When will the two be the same height?
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Lots of Lollies Lots of Lollies
Frances and Rishi were given a bag of lollies. They shared them out evenly and had one left over. How many lollies could there have been in the bag?
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Solve problems, including missing number problems, involving multiplication and division, including positive integer scaling problems and correspondence problems in which n objects are connected to m objects
What Do you Need? What Do you Need?
Four of these clues are needed to find the chosen number on this grid and four are true but do nothing to help in finding the number. Can you sort out the clues and find the number?
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A Square of Numbers A Square of Numbers
Can you put the numbers 1 to 8 into the circles so that the four calculations are correct?
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What's in the Box? What's in the Box?
This big box multiplies anything that goes inside it by the same number. If you know the numbers that come out, what multiplication might be going on in the box?
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How do you do it? How do you do it?
This group activity will encourage you to share calculation strategies and to think about which strategy might be the most efficient.
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Journeys in Numberland Journeys in Numberland
Tom and Ben visited Numberland. Use the maps to work out the number of points each of their routes scores.
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This Pied Piper of Hamelin This Pied Piper of Hamelin
Investigate the different numbers of people and rats there could have been if you know how many legs there are altogether!
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Follow the numbers Follow the numbers
What happens when you add the digits of a number then multiply the result by 2 and you keep doing this? You could try for different numbers and different rules.
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Solve problems involving multiplying and adding, including using the distributive law to multiply two-digit numbers by one digit, integer scaling problems and harder correspondence problems such as n objects are connected to m objects
Solve problems involving multiplication and division including using their knowledge of factors and multiples, squares and cubes
Division Rules Division Rules
This challenge encourages you to explore dividing a three-digit number by a single-digit number.
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Odd Squares Odd Squares
Think of a number, square it and subtract your starting number. Is the number you're left with odd or even? How do the images help to explain this?
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Curious number Curious number
Can you order the digits from 1-3 to make a number which is divisible by 3 so when the last digit is removed it becomes a 2-figure number divisible by 2, and so on?
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Cubes within Cubes Cubes within Cubes
We start with one yellow cube and build around it to make a 3x3x3 cube with red cubes. Then we build around that red cube with blue cubes and so on. How many cubes of each colour have we used?
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Solve problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
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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Statement Snap Statement Snap
You'll need to know your number properties to win a game of Statement Snap...
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Number Operations and Calculation Methods

Solve problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and a combination of these, including understanding the meaning of the equals sign
Highest and Lowest Highest and Lowest
Put operations signs between the numbers 3 4 5 6 to make the highest possible number and lowest possible number.
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Make 100 Make 100
Find at least one way to put in some operation signs to make these digits come to 100.
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Multiply Multiples 1 Multiply Multiples 1
Can you complete this calculation by filling in the missing numbers? In how many different ways can you do it?
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Multiply Multiples 2 Multiply Multiples 2
Can you work out some different ways to balance this equation?
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Multiply Multiples 3 Multiply Multiples 3
Have a go at balancing this equation. Can you find different ways of doing it?
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Four goodness' sake Four goodness' sake
Use 4 four times with simple operations so that you get the answer 12. Can you make 15, 16 and 17 too?
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Solve problems involving multiplication and division, including scaling by simple fractions and problems involving simple rates

Ratio and Proportion

Solve problems involving the relative sizes of two quantities where missing values can be found by using integer multiplication and division facts
Pumpkin Pie Problem Pumpkin Pie Problem
Peter wanted to make two pies for a party. His mother had a recipe for him to use. However, she always made 80 pies at a time. Did Peter have enough ingredients to make two pumpkin pies?
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Rectangle Tangle Rectangle Tangle
The large rectangle is divided into a series of smaller quadrilaterals and triangles. Can you untangle what fractional part is represented by each of the shapes?
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Jumping Jumping
After training hard, these two children have improved their results. Can you work out the length or height of their first jumps?
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Orange Drink Orange Drink
A 750 ml bottle of concentrated orange squash is enough to make fifteen 250 ml glasses of diluted orange drink. How much water is needed to make 10 litres of this drink?
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Fraction Fascination Fraction Fascination
This problem challenges you to work out what fraction of the whole area of these pictures is taken up by various shapes.
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Ratio, Proportion and Rates of Change

Solve problems involving unequal sharing and grouping using knowledge of fractions and multiples
In the Money In the Money
One quarter of these coins are heads but when I turn over two coins, one third are heads. How many coins are there?
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Scaling

Solve problems involving similar shapes where the scale factor is known or can be found

Angles, Polygons and Geometrical Proof