Resources tagged with Mathematical reasoning & proof similar to Base Puzzle:
Other tags that relate to Base Puzzle
Number theory. Diophantine equations. Properties of numbers. Factors and multiples. Creating and manipulating expressions and formulae. Number bases. Addition & subtraction. Integers. Place value. Mathematical reasoning & proof.There are 162 results
Broad Topics > Using, Applying and Reasoning about Mathematics > Mathematical reasoning & proof
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?
Cycle It
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Carry out cyclic permutations of nine digit numbers containing the digits from 1 to 9 (until you get back to the first number). Prove that whatever number you choose, they will add to the same total.
Aba
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
In the following sum the letters A, B, C, D, E and F stand for six distinct digits. Find all the ways of replacing the letters with digits so that the arithmetic is correct.
Never Prime
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
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.
Tis Unique
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
This addition sum uses all ten digits 0, 1, 2...9 exactly once. Find the sum and show that the one you give is the only possibility.
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?
Composite Notions
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
A composite number is one that is neither prime nor 1. Show that 10201 is composite in any base.
Number Rules - OK
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
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...
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. . . .
1 Step 2 Step
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Liam's house has a staircase with 12 steps. He can go down the steps one at a time or two at time. In how many different ways can Liam go down the 12 steps?
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. . . .
Adding All Nine
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Make a set of numbers that use all the digits from 1 to 9, once and once only. Add them up. The result is divisible by 9. Add each of the digits in the new number. What is their sum? Now try some. . . .
For What?
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
Prove that if the integer n is divisible by 4 then it can be written as the difference of two squares.
Neighbourly Addition
Age 7 to 14 Challenge Level:
I added together some of my neighbours' house numbers. Can you explain the patterns I noticed?
9 Weights
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
You have been given nine weights, one of which is slightly heavier than the rest. Can you work out which weight is heavier in just two weighings of the balance?
DOTS Division
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
Take any pair of two digit numbers x=ab and y=cd where, without loss of generality, ab > cd . Form two 4 digit numbers r=abcd and s=cdab and calculate: {r^2 - s^2} /{x^2 - y^2}.
Common Divisor
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
Find the largest integer which divides every member of the following sequence: 1^5-1, 2^5-2, 3^5-3, ... n^5-n.
A Biggy
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
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.
Always Perfect
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
Show that if you add 1 to the product of four consecutive numbers the answer is ALWAYS a perfect square.
Unit Fractions
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Consider the equation 1/a + 1/b + 1/c = 1 where a, b and c are natural numbers and 0 < a < b < c. Prove that there is only one set of values which satisfy this equation.
Elevenses
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
How many pairs of numbers can you find that add up to a multiple of 11? Do you notice anything interesting about your results?
Power Mad!
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Powers of numbers behave in surprising ways. Take a look at some of these and try to explain why they are true.
Sticky Numbers
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Can you arrange the numbers 1 to 17 in a row so that each adjacent pair adds up to a square number?
A Long Time at the Till
Age 14 to 18 Challenge Level:
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?
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. . . .
Our Ages
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
I am exactly n times my daughter's age. In m years I shall be ... How old am I?
Euler's Squares
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
Euler found four whole numbers such that the sum of any two of the numbers is a perfect square...
Tri-colour
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
Six points are arranged in space so that no three are collinear. How many line segments can be formed by joining the points in pairs?
Diophantine N-tuples
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
Can you explain why a sequence of operations always gives you perfect squares?
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. . . .
Marbles
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
I start with a red, a green and a blue marble. I can trade any of my marbles for two others, one of each colour. Can I end up with five more blue marbles than red after a number of such trades?
More Marbles
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
I start with a red, a blue, a green and a yellow marble. I can trade any of my marbles for three others, one of each colour. Can I end up with exactly two marbles of each colour?
Children at Large
Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:
There are four children in a family, two girls, Kate and Sally, and two boys, Tom and Ben. How old are the children?
Converse
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
Clearly if a, b and c are the lengths of the sides of an equilateral triangle then a^2 + b^2 + c^2 = ab + bc + ca. Is the converse true?
Mediant Madness
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
Kyle and his teacher disagree about his test score - who is right?
Mouhefanggai
Age 14 to 16
Imagine two identical cylindrical pipes meeting at right angles and think about the shape of the space which belongs to both pipes. Early Chinese mathematicians call this shape the mouhefanggai.
Proofs with Pictures
Age 14 to 18
Some diagrammatic 'proofs' of algebraic identities and inequalities.
Impossible Sandwiches
Age 11 to 18
In this 7-sandwich: 7 1 3 1 6 4 3 5 7 2 4 6 2 5 there are 7 numbers between the 7s, 6 between the 6s etc. The article shows which values of n can make n-sandwiches and which cannot.
Picturing Pythagorean Triples
Age 14 to 18
This article discusses how every Pythagorean triple (a, b, c) can be illustrated by a square and an L shape within another square. You are invited to find some triples for yourself.
Yih or Luk Tsut K'i or Three Men's Morris
Age 11 to 18 Challenge Level:
Some puzzles requiring no knowledge of knot theory, just a careful inspection of the patterns. A glimpse of the classification of knots and a little about prime knots, crossing numbers and. . . .
A Knight's Journey
Age 14 to 18
This article looks at knight's moves on a chess board and introduces you to the idea of vectors and vector addition.
Pythagorean Triples II
Age 11 to 16
This is the second article on right-angled triangles whose edge lengths are whole numbers.
Pythagorean Triples I
Age 11 to 16
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 Three from Five
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
Caroline and James pick sets of five numbers. Charlie chooses three of them that add together to make a multiple of three. Can they stop him?
Angle Trisection
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
It is impossible to trisect an angle using only ruler and compasses but it can be done using a carpenter's square.
Postage
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
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. . . .
NRICH is part of the family of activities in the Millennium Mathematics Project.