Mathematicians love to solve problems. However, mathematicians are not satisfied by finding one solution, or even more than one solution to a challenge, they like to dig deeper and try to find a proof. You can think of proof as a watertight chain of reasoning.
Rather than trying to jump straight into proof, we have put together these three groups of tasks to help. The first group encourages you to 'limber up' by offering tasks where it helps to transfer your thinking from one example to another, to another ... The second group pushes you a bit further by giving you the chance to find some general rules and the third group contains tasks which lend themselves to full proofs.
We hope you enjoy them!
Rather than trying to jump straight into proof, we have put together these three groups of tasks to help. The first group encourages you to 'limber up' by offering tasks where it helps to transfer your thinking from one example to another, to another ... The second group pushes you a bit further by giving you the chance to find some general rules and the third group contains tasks which lend themselves to full proofs.
We hope you enjoy them!
list
Proof: Limbering Up
These tasks 'limber you up' for proof. In each one, it helps to transfer your thinking from one example to another, to another ...
list
Proof: Going a bit further
This group of tasks pushes you a bit further into proof by inviting you to find some general rules.
list
Proof: Diving in at the deep end
The tasks in this group will give you the opportunity to create some proofs of your own.
list
Convince me! - Upper Primary Students
Here are some challenges that you can work on and then see if you can convince someone that your solutions are right! Have a go!