Other tags that relate to Matchsticks
Generalising. Investigations. Cubes & cuboids. Tangram. Visualising. Working systematically. Matchsticks. Practical Activity. Interactivities. Arithmetic sequences.There are 151 results
Broad Topics > Thinking Mathematically > Practical Activity
Matchsticks
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
Reasoning about the number of matches needed to build squares that share their sides.
Regular Rings 1
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
Can you work out what shape is made by folding in this way? Why not create some patterns using this shape but in different sizes?
Construct-o-straws
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
Make a cube out of straws and have a go at this practical challenge.
Triangular Faces
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
This problem invites you to build 3D shapes using two different triangles. Can you make the shapes from the pictures?
Jomista Mat
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
Looking at the picture of this Jomista Mat, can you decribe what you see? Why not try and make one yourself?
Midpoint Triangle
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
Can you cut up a square in the way shown and make the pieces into a triangle?
Folding Flowers 2
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
Make a flower design using the same shape made out of different sizes of paper.
Move Those Halves
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
For this task, you'll need an A4 sheet and two A5 transparent sheets. Decide on a way of arranging the A5 sheets on top of the A4 sheet and explore ...
Pyramid Numbers
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
What are the next three numbers in this sequence? Can you explain why are they called pyramid numbers?
Music to My Ears
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
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?
Folding, Cutting and Punching
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
Exploring and predicting folding, cutting and punching holes and making spirals.
Fractional Triangles
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
Use the lines on this figure to show how the square can be divided into 2 halves, 3 thirds, 6 sixths and 9 ninths.
Reef and Granny
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
Have a look at what happens when you pull a reef knot and a granny knot tight. Which do you think is best for securing things together? Why?
Sponge Sections
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
You have been given three shapes made out of sponge: a sphere, a cylinder and a cone. Your challenge is to find out how to cut them to make different shapes for printing.
Making Maths: Rolypoly
Age 5 to 11 Challenge Level:
Paint a stripe on a cardboard roll. Can you predict what will happen when it is rolled across a sheet of paper?
Square Tangram
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
This was a problem for our birthday website. Can you use four of these pieces to form a square? How about making a square with all five pieces?
Three Squares
Age 5 to 11 Challenge Level:
What is the greatest number of squares you can make by overlapping three squares?
Let Us Reflect
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
Where can you put the mirror across the square so that you can still "see" the whole square? How many different positions are possible?
Cuboid-in-a-box
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
What is the smallest cuboid that you can put in this box so that you cannot fit another that's the same into it?
Purposeful Paper Folding
Age 5 to 11
In this article for primary teachers, Fran describes her passion for paper folding as a springboard for mathematics.
Stringy Quads
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
This practical problem challenges you to make quadrilaterals with a loop of string. You'll need some friends to help!
Putting Two and Two Together
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
In how many ways can you fit two of these yellow triangles together? Can you predict the number of ways two blue triangles can be fitted together?
Folding Flowers 1
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
Can you visualise what shape this piece of paper will make when it is folded?
Map Folding
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
Take a rectangle of paper and fold it in half, and half again, to make four smaller rectangles. How many different ways can you fold it up?
Making Maths: Birds from an Egg
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
Can you make the birds from the egg tangram?
Sea Defences
Age 7 to 14 Challenge Level:
These are pictures of the sea defences at New Brighton. Can you work out what a basic shape might be in both images of the sea wall and work out a way they might fit together?
Rolling Triangle
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
The triangle ABC is equilateral. The arc AB has centre C, the arc BC has centre A and the arc CA has centre B. Explain how and why this shape can roll along between two parallel tracks.
Making Cuboids
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
Let's say you can only use two different lengths - 2 units and 4 units. Using just these 2 lengths as the edges how many different cuboids can you make?
Two Squared
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
What happens to the area of a square if you double the length of the sides? Try the same thing with rectangles, diamonds and other shapes. How do the four smaller ones fit into the larger one?
Little Boxes
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
How many different cuboids can you make when you use four CDs or DVDs? How about using five, then six?
Triangles to Tetrahedra
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Imagine you have an unlimited number of four types of triangle. How many different tetrahedra can you make?
Cereal Packets
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
How can you put five cereal packets together to make different shapes if you must put them face-to-face?
Cuisenaire Squares
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
These squares have been made from Cuisenaire rods. Can you describe the pattern? What would the next square look like?
Making Maths: Making a Tangram
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
Follow these instructions to make a three-piece and/or seven-piece tangram.
Regular Rings 2
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
What shape is made when you fold using this crease pattern? Can you make a ring design?
Nine Colours
Age 11 to 16 Challenge Level:
Can you use small coloured cubes to make a 3 by 3 by 3 cube so that each face of the bigger cube contains one of each colour?
Tangram Pictures
Age 5 to 14 Challenge Level:
Use the tangram pieces to make our pictures, or to design some of your own!
Bryony's Triangle
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
Watch the video to see how to fold a square of paper to create a flower. What fraction of the piece of paper is the small triangle?
Three Sets of Cubes, Two Surfaces
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
How many models can you find which obey these rules?
Cover the Tray
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
These practical challenges are all about making a 'tray' and covering it with paper.
Square Corners
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
What is the greatest number of counters you can place on the grid below without four of them lying at the corners of a square?
Seven Flipped
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
Investigate the smallest number of moves it takes to turn these mats upside-down if you can only turn exactly three at a time.
Making Maths: Happy Families
Age 5 to 11 Challenge Level:
Here is a version of the game 'Happy Families' for you to make and play.
Hexagon Transformations
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
Can you cut a regular hexagon into two pieces to make a parallelogram? Try cutting it into three pieces to make a rhombus!
Getting an Angle
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
How can you make an angle of 60 degrees by folding a sheet of paper twice?
Cubic Conundrum
Age 7 to 16 Challenge Level:
Which of the following cubes can be made from these nets?
Brush Loads
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
How can you arrange the 5 cubes so that you need the smallest number of Brush Loads of paint to cover them? Try with other numbers of cubes as well.
Counter Ideas
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
Here are some ideas to try in the classroom for using counters to investigate number patterns.
Creating Cubes
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
Arrange 9 red cubes, 9 blue cubes and 9 yellow cubes into a large 3 by 3 cube. No row or column of cubes must contain two cubes of the same colour.
Turning Granny
Age 7 to 11 Challenge Level:
A brief video looking at how you can sometimes use symmetry to distinguish knots. Can you use this idea to investigate the differences between the granny knot and the reef knot?
NRICH is part of the family of activities in the Millennium Mathematics Project.