Other tags that relate to The Greedy Algorithm
Fractions. Equivalent fractions, decimals and percentages. History of number systems. Factors and multiples. Calculating with fractions. Generalising. Continued fractions. Ratio. Famous mathematicians. Properties of numbers.There are 126 results
Broad Topics > Algebraic expressions, equations and formulae > Creating and manipulating expressions and formulae
Special Sums and Products
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Find some examples of pairs of numbers such that their sum is a factor of their product. eg. 4 + 12 = 16 and 4 × 12 = 48 and 16 is a factor of 48.
Sum Equals Product
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
The sum of the numbers 4 and 1 [1/3] is the same as the product of 4 and 1 [1/3]; that is to say 4 + 1 [1/3] = 4 � 1 [1/3]. What other numbers have the sum equal to the product and can this be so for. . . .
Special Numbers
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
My two digit number is special because adding the sum of its digits to the product of its digits gives me my original number. What could my number be?
Please Explain
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Visitors to Earth from the distant planet of Zub-Zorna were amazed when they found out that when the digits in this multiplication were reversed, the answer was the same! Find a way to explain. . . .
Multiply the Addition Square
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
If you take a three by three square on a 1-10 addition square and multiply the diagonally opposite numbers together, what is the difference between these products. Why?
Summing Consecutive Numbers
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
15 = 7 + 8 and 10 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4. Can you say which numbers can be expressed as the sum of two or more consecutive integers?
Think of Two Numbers
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Think of two whole numbers under 10, and follow the steps. I can work out both your numbers very quickly. How?
Always the Same
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
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?
Chocolate Maths
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Pick the number of times a week that you eat chocolate. This number must be more than one but less than ten. Multiply this number by 2. Add 5 (for Sunday). Multiply by 50... Can you explain why it. . . .
Even So
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Find some triples of whole numbers a, b and c such that a^2 + b^2 + c^2 is a multiple of 4. Is it necessarily the case that a, b and c must all be even? If so, can you explain why?
Hot Pursuit
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
I added together the first 'n' positive integers and found that my answer was a 3 digit number in which all the digits were the same...
Adding in Rows
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
List any 3 numbers. It is always possible to find a subset of adjacent numbers that add up to a multiple of 3. Can you explain why and prove it?
Lower Bound
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
What would you get if you continued this sequence of fraction sums? 1/2 + 2/1 = 2/3 + 3/2 = 3/4 + 4/3 =
Fair Shares?
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
A mother wants to share a sum of money by giving each of her children in turn a lump sum plus a fraction of the remainder. How can she do this in order to share the money out equally?
Quick Times
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
32 x 38 = 30 x 40 + 2 x 8; 34 x 36 = 30 x 40 + 4 x 6; 56 x 54 = 50 x 60 + 6 x 4; 73 x 77 = 70 x 80 + 3 x 7 Verify and generalise if possible.
Seven Up
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
The number 27 is special because it is three times the sum of its digits 27 = 3 (2 + 7). Find some two digit numbers that are SEVEN times the sum of their digits (seven-up numbers)?
More Mathematical Mysteries
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Write down a three-digit number Change the order of the digits to get a different number Find the difference between the two three digit numbers Follow the rest of the instructions then try. . . .
Mindreader
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
A little bit of algebra explains this 'magic'. Ask a friend to pick 3 consecutive numbers and to tell you a multiple of 3. Then ask them to add the four numbers and multiply by 67, and to tell you. . . .
The Number Jumbler
Age 7 to 14 Challenge Level:
The Number Jumbler can always work out your chosen symbol. Can you work out how?
Legs Eleven
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Take any four digit number. Move the first digit to the end and move the rest along. Now add your two numbers. Did you get a multiple of 11?
Mind Reading
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Think of a number, add one, double it, take away 3, add the number you first thought of, add 7, divide by 3 and take away the number you first thought of. You should now be left with 2. How do I. . . .
Pair Products
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
Choose four consecutive whole numbers. Multiply the first and last numbers together. Multiply the middle pair together. What do you notice?
Simplifying Doughnut
Age 14 to 18 Challenge Level:
An algebra task which depends on members of the group noticing the needs of others and responding.
Regular Hexagon Loops
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Make some loops out of regular hexagons. What rules can you discover?
Always a Multiple?
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Think of a two digit number, reverse the digits, and add the numbers together. Something special happens...
Perimeter Expressions
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Create some shapes by combining two or more rectangles. What can you say about the areas and perimeters of the shapes you can make?
Generating Triples
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
Sets of integers like 3, 4, 5 are called Pythagorean Triples, because they could be the lengths of the sides of a right-angled triangle. Can you find any more?
Robert's Spreadsheet
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
Robert noticed some interesting patterns when he highlighted square numbers in a spreadsheet. Can you prove that the patterns will continue?
How Much Can We Spend?
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
A country has decided to have just two different coins, 3z and 5z coins. Which totals can be made? Is there a largest total that cannot be made? How do you know?
Really Mr. Bond
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
115^2 = (110 x 120) + 25, that is 13225 895^2 = (890 x 900) + 25, that is 801025 Can you explain what is happening and generalise?
How Many Miles to Go?
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
How many more miles must the car travel before the numbers on the milometer and the trip meter contain the same digits in the same order?
More Number Pyramids
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
When number pyramids have a sequence on the bottom layer, some interesting patterns emerge...
Crossed Ends
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Crosses can be drawn on number grids of various sizes. What do you notice when you add opposite ends?
How Big?
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
If the sides of the triangle in the diagram are 3, 4 and 5, what is the area of the shaded square?
Your Number Was...
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Think of a number and follow my instructions. Tell me your answer, and I'll tell you what you started with! Can you explain how I know?
Your Number Is...
Age 7 to 14 Challenge Level:
Think of a number and follow the machine's instructions... I know what your number is! Can you explain how I know?
Partitioning Revisited
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
We can show that (x + 1)² = x² + 2x + 1 by considering the area of an (x + 1) by (x + 1) square. Show in a similar way that (x + 2)² = x² + 4x + 4
Sitting Pretty
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
A circle of radius r touches two sides of a right angled triangle, sides x and y, and has its centre on the hypotenuse. Can you prove the formula linking x, y and r?
Algebra from Geometry
Age 11 to 16 Challenge Level:
Account of an investigation which starts from the area of an annulus and leads to the formula for the difference of two squares.
Semi-square
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
What is the ratio of the area of a square inscribed in a semicircle to the area of the square inscribed in the entire circle?
Odd Differences
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
The diagram illustrates the formula: 1 + 3 + 5 + ... + (2n - 1) = n² Use the diagram to show that any odd number is the difference of two squares.
Days and Dates
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Investigate how you can work out what day of the week your birthday will be on next year, and the year after...
Hallway Borders
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
What are the possible dimensions of a rectangular hallway if the number of tiles around the perimeter is exactly half the total number of tiles?
Is it Magic or Is it Maths?
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Here are three 'tricks' to amaze your friends. But the really clever trick is explaining to them why these 'tricks' are maths not magic. Like all good magicians, you should practice by trying. . . .
Good Work If You Can Get It
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
A job needs three men but in fact six people do it. When it is finished they are all paid the same. How much was paid in total, and much does each man get if the money is shared as Fred suggests?
Sixational
Age 14 to 18 Challenge Level:
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. . . .
Mind Reader
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Think of a number Multiply it by 3 Add 6 Take away your start number Divide by 2 Take away your number. (You have finished with 3!) HOW DOES THIS WORK?
Archimedes and Numerical Roots
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
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?
NRICH is part of the family of activities in the Millennium Mathematics Project.