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The sums of the squares of three related numbers is also a perfect square - can you explain why?
Can you convince me of each of the following: If a square number is multiplied by a square number the product is ALWAYS a square number...
Show that if you add 1 to the product of four consecutive numbers the answer is ALWAYS a perfect square.
Semicircles are drawn on the sides of a rectangle ABCD. A circle passing through points ABCD carves out four crescent-shaped regions. Prove that the sum of the areas of the four crescents is equal to. . . .
If a two digit number has its digits reversed and the smaller of the two numbers is subtracted from the larger, prove the difference can never be prime.
Take any two numbers between 0 and 1. Prove that the sum of the numbers is always less than one plus their product?
This shape comprises four semi-circles. What is the relationship between the area of the shaded region and the area of the circle on AB as diameter?
A composite number is one that is neither prime nor 1. Show that 10201 is composite in any base.
If you take two tests and get a marks out of a maximum b in the first and c marks out of d in the second, does the mediant (a+c)/(b+d)lie between the results for the two tests separately.
A, B & C own a half, a third and a sixth of a coin collection. Each grab some coins, return some, then share equally what they had put back, finishing with their own share. How rich are they?
Janine noticed, while studying some cube numbers, that if you take three consecutive whole numbers and multiply them together and then add the middle number of the three, you get the middle number. . . .
Find the smallest positive integer N such that N/2 is a perfect cube, N/3 is a perfect fifth power and N/5 is a perfect seventh power.
The problem is how did Archimedes calculate the lengths of the sides of the polygons which needed him to be able to calculate square roots?
Arrange the numbers 1 to 16 into a 4 by 4 array. Choose a number. Cross out the numbers on the same row and column. Repeat this process. Add up you four numbers. Why do they always add up to 34?
Can you use the diagram to prove the AM-GM inequality?
Pick a square within a multiplication square and add the numbers on each diagonal. What do you notice?
Explore what happens when you draw graphs of quadratic equations with coefficients based on a geometric sequence.
Can you make sense of these three proofs of Pythagoras' Theorem?
What is the area of the quadrilateral APOQ? Working on the building blocks will give you some insights that may help you to work it out.
The nth term of a sequence is given by the formula n^3 + 11n . Find the first four terms of the sequence given by this formula and the first term of the sequence which is bigger than one million. . . .
Try to solve this very difficult problem and then study our two suggested solutions. How would you use your knowledge to try to solve variants on the original problem?
L triominoes can fit together to make larger versions of themselves. Is every size possible to make in this way?
It is impossible to trisect an angle using only ruler and compasses but it can be done using a carpenter's square.
This is the second article on right-angled triangles whose edge lengths are whole numbers.
The first of five articles concentrating on whole number dynamics, ideas of general dynamical systems are introduced and seen in concrete cases.
The first of two articles on Pythagorean Triples which asks how many right angled triangles can you find with the lengths of each side exactly a whole number measurement. Try it!
Take any prime number greater than 3 , square it and subtract one. Working on the building blocks will help you to explain what is special about your results.
Find the largest integer which divides every member of the following sequence: 1^5-1, 2^5-2, 3^5-3, ... n^5-n.
The country Sixtania prints postage stamps with only three values 6 lucres, 10 lucres and 15 lucres (where the currency is in lucres).Which values cannot be made up with combinations of these postage. . . .
Explore the continued fraction: 2+3/(2+3/(2+3/2+...)) What do you notice when successive terms are taken? What happens to the terms if the fraction goes on indefinitely?
What happens to the perimeter of triangle ABC as the two smaller circles change size and roll around inside the bigger circle?
Advent Calendar 2011 - a mathematical activity for each day during the run-up to Christmas.
Prove that if the integer n is divisible by 4 then it can be written as the difference of two squares.
If I tell you two sides of a right-angled triangle, you can easily work out the third. But what if the angle between the two sides is not a right angle?
If you think that mathematical proof is really clearcut and universal then you should read this article.
Can you see how this picture illustrates the formula for the sum of the first six cube numbers?
Is the mean of the squares of two numbers greater than, or less than, the square of their means?
Four jewellers share their stock. Can you work out the relative values of their gems?
The picture illustrates the sum 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = (4 x 5)/2. Prove the general formula for the sum of the first n natural numbers and the formula for the sum of the cubes of the first n natural. . . .
What can you say about the lengths of the sides of a quadrilateral whose vertices are on a unit circle?
This article looks at knight's moves on a chess board and introduces you to the idea of vectors and vector addition.
Can you rearrange the cards to make a series of correct mathematical statements?
What fractions can you divide the diagonal of a square into by simple folding?
There are four children in a family, two girls, Kate and Sally, and two boys, Tom and Ben. How old are the children?
This article stems from research on the teaching of proof and offers guidance on how to move learners from focussing on experimental arguments to mathematical arguments and deductive reasoning.
Prove that, given any three parallel lines, an equilateral triangle always exists with one vertex on each of the three lines.
You have twelve weights, one of which is different from the rest. Using just 3 weighings, can you identify which weight is the odd one out, and whether it is heavier or lighter than the rest?
Eulerian and Hamiltonian circuits are defined with some simple examples and a couple of puzzles to illustrate Hamiltonian circuits.
This article invites you to get familiar with a strategic game called "sprouts". The game is simple enough for younger children to understand, and has also provided experienced mathematicians with. . . .
Spotting patterns can be an important first step - explaining why it is appropriate to generalise is the next step, and often the most interesting and important.