Suppose we allow ourselves to use three numbers less than 10 and multiply them together. How many different products can you find? How do you know you've got them all?
The discs for this game are kept in a flat square box with a square hole for each. Use the information to find out how many discs of each colour there are in the box.
Can you work out some different ways to balance this equation?
When Charlie asked his grandmother how old she is, he didn't get a straightforward reply! Can you work out how old she is?
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?
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.
Can you make square numbers by adding two prime numbers together?
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?
In a square in which the houses are evenly spaced, numbers 3 and 10 are opposite each other. What is the smallest and what is the largest possible number of houses in the square?
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?
Nine squares with side lengths 1, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, and 18 cm can be fitted together to form a rectangle. What are the dimensions of the rectangle?
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?
Can you complete this calculation by filling in the missing numbers? In how many different ways can you do it?
Have a go at balancing this equation. Can you find different ways of doing it?
The planet of Vuvv has seven moons. Can you work out how long it is between each super-eclipse?
An investigation that gives you the opportunity to make and justify predictions.
Complete the magic square using the numbers 1 to 25 once each. Each row, column and diagonal adds up to 65.
Can you fill in this table square? The numbers 2 -12 were used to generate it with just one number used twice.
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?
How many different rectangles can you make using this set of rods?
Number problems at primary level to work on with others.
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.
Can you find different ways of creating paths using these paving slabs?
Your vessel, the Starship Diophantus, has become damaged in deep space. Can you use your knowledge of times tables and some lightning reflexes to survive?
In this activity, the computer chooses a times table and shifts it. Can you work out the table and the shift each time?
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.
Investigate the smallest number of moves it takes to turn these mats upside-down if you can only turn exactly three at a time.
Number problems at primary level that may require resilience.
There are ten children in Becky's group. Can you find a set of numbers for each of them? Are there any other sets?
How many different sets of numbers with at least four members can you find in the numbers in this box?
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?
What is the lowest number which always leaves a remainder of 1 when divided by each of the numbers from 2 to 10?
Ben’s class were cutting up number tracks. First they cut them into twos and added up the numbers on each piece. What patterns could they see?
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?
I throw three dice and get 5, 3 and 2. Add the scores on the three dice. What do you get? Now multiply the scores. What do you notice?
Are these statements always true, sometimes true or never true?
Gabriel multiplied together some numbers and then erased them. Can you figure out where each number was?
Given the products of diagonally opposite cells - can you complete this Sudoku?
A game for 2 people using a pack of cards Turn over 2 cards and try to make an odd number or a multiple of 3.
Choose any 3 digits and make a 6 digit number by repeating the 3 digits in the same order (e.g. 594594). Explain why whatever digits you choose the number will always be divisible by 7, 11 and 13.
The puzzle can be solved by finding the values of the unknown digits (all indicated by asterisks) in the squares of the $9\times9$ grid.
Work out Tom's number from the answers he gives his friend. He will only answer 'yes' or 'no'.
Can you complete this jigsaw of the multiplication square?
A student in a maths class was trying to get some information from her teacher. She was given some clues and then the teacher ended by saying, "Well, how old are they?"
In this problem we are looking at sets of parallel sticks that cross each other. What is the least number of crossings you can make? And the greatest?
"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 ...?
One quarter of these coins are heads but when I turn over two coins, one third are heads. How many coins are there?
Is it possible to draw a 5-pointed star without taking your pencil off the paper? Is it possible to draw a 6-pointed star in the same way without taking your pen off?
Does this 'trick' for calculating multiples of 11 always work? Why or why not?