Other tags that relate to Gosh Cosh
Making and proving conjectures. Fibonacci sequence. Binomial Theorem. Indices. Chemistry. Exponential and Logarithmic Functions. Summation of series. Biology. Estimating and approximating. Mathematical induction.There are 172 results
Broad Topics > Thinking Mathematically > Mathematical reasoning & proof
Plus or Minus
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
Make and prove a conjecture about the value of the product of the Fibonacci numbers $F_{n+1}F_{n-1}$.
Binomial
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
By considering powers of (1+x), show that the sum of the squares of the binomial coefficients from 0 to n is 2nCn
Binomial Coefficients
Age 14 to 18
An introduction to the binomial coefficient, and exploration of some of the formulae it satisfies.
Particularly General
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
By proving these particular identities, prove the existence of general cases.
Water Pistols
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
With n people anywhere in a field each shoots a water pistol at the nearest person. In general who gets wet? What difference does it make if n is odd or even?
Big, Bigger, Biggest
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
Which is the biggest and which the smallest of $2000^{2002}, 2001^{2001} \text{and } 2002^{2000}$?
Target Six
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
Show that x = 1 is a solution of the equation x^(3/2) - 8x^(-3/2) = 7 and find all other solutions.
Telescoping Functions
Age 16 to 18
Take a complicated fraction with the product of five quartics top and bottom and reduce this to a whole number. This is a numerical example involving some clever algebra.
Generally Geometric
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
Generalise the sum of a GP by using derivatives to make the coefficients into powers of the natural numbers.
Can it Be?
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
When if ever do you get the right answer if you add two fractions by adding the numerators and adding the denominators?
Prime AP
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
What can you say about the common difference of an AP where every term is prime?
Problem Solving, Using and Applying and Functional Mathematics
Age 5 to 18 Challenge Level:
Problem solving is at the heart of the NRICH site. All the problems give learners opportunities to learn, develop or use mathematical concepts and skills. Read here for more information.
Golden Eggs
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
Find a connection between the shape of a special ellipse and an infinite string of nested square roots.
Breaking the Equation ' Empirical Argument = Proof '
Age 7 to 18
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.
Integral Inequality
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
An inequality involving integrals of squares of functions.
Sperner's Lemma
Age 16 to 18
An article about the strategy for playing The Triangle Game which appears on the NRICH site. It contains a simple lemma about labelling a grid of equilateral triangles within a triangular frame.
Power Quady
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
Find all real solutions of the equation (x^2-7x+11)^(x^2-11x+30) = 1.
Proof Sorter - Geometric Sequence
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
Can you correctly order the steps in the proof of the formula for the sum of the first n terms in a geometric sequence?
Proof Sorter - Quadratic Equation
Age 14 to 18 Challenge Level:
This is an interactivity in which you have to sort the steps in the completion of the square into the correct order to prove the formula for the solutions of quadratic equations.
Polite Numbers
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
A polite number can be written as the sum of two or more consecutive positive integers. Find the consecutive sums giving the polite numbers 544 and 424. What characterizes impolite numbers?
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. . . .
An Introduction to Number Theory
Age 16 to 18
An introduction to some beautiful results of Number Theory (a branch of pure mathematics devoted primarily to the study of the integers and integer-valued functions)
Quadratic Harmony
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
Find all positive integers a and b for which the two equations: x^2-ax+b = 0 and x^2-bx+a = 0 both have positive integer solutions.
Diverging
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
Show that for natural numbers x and y if x/y > 1 then x/y>(x+1)/(y+1}>1. Hence prove that the product for i=1 to n of [(2i)/(2i-1)] tends to infinity as n tends to infinity.
Proofs with Pictures
Age 14 to 18
Some diagrammatic 'proofs' of algebraic identities and inequalities.
Unit Interval
Age 14 to 18 Challenge Level:
Take any two numbers between 0 and 1. Prove that the sum of the numbers is always less than one plus their product?
Rational Roots
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
Given that a, b and c are natural numbers show that if sqrt a+sqrt b is rational then it is a natural number. Extend this to 3 variables.
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.
Without Calculus
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
Given that u>0 and v>0 find the smallest possible value of 1/u + 1/v given that u + v = 5 by different methods.
Pythagorean Golden Means
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
Show that the arithmetic mean, geometric mean and harmonic mean of a and b can be the lengths of the sides of a right-angles triangle if and only if a = bx^3, where x is the Golden Ratio.
Basic Rhythms
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
Explore a number pattern which has the same symmetries in different bases.
Tetra Inequalities
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
Prove that in every tetrahedron there is a vertex such that the three edges meeting there have lengths which could be the sides of a triangle.
Modulus Arithmetic and a Solution to Dirisibly Yours
Age 16 to 18
Peter Zimmerman from Mill Hill County High School in Barnet, London gives a neat proof that: 5^(2n+1) + 11^(2n+1) + 17^(2n+1) is divisible by 33 for every non negative integer n.
Sums of Squares and Sums of Cubes
Age 16 to 18
An account of methods for finding whether or not a number can be written as the sum of two or more squares or as the sum of two or more cubes.
Modulus Arithmetic and a Solution to Differences
Age 16 to 18
Peter Zimmerman, a Year 13 student at Mill Hill County High School in Barnet, London wrote this account of modulus arithmetic.
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.
The Golden Ratio, Fibonacci Numbers and Continued Fractions.
Age 14 to 16
An iterative method for finding the value of the Golden Ratio with explanations of how this involves the ratios of Fibonacci numbers and continued fractions.
Pair Squares
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
The sum of any two of the numbers 2, 34 and 47 is a perfect square. Choose three square numbers and find sets of three integers with this property. Generalise to four integers.
Multiplication Square
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
Pick a square within a multiplication square and add the numbers on each diagonal. What do you notice?
And So on - and on -and On
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
Can you find the value of this function involving algebraic fractions for x=2000?
Three Ways
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
If x + y = -1 find the largest value of xy by coordinate geometry, by calculus and by algebra.
Perfectly Square
Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:
The sums of the squares of three related numbers is also a perfect square - can you explain why?
Mechanical Integration
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
To find the integral of a polynomial, evaluate it at some special points and add multiples of these values.
Some Circuits in Graph or Network Theory
Age 14 to 18
Eulerian and Hamiltonian circuits are defined with some simple examples and a couple of puzzles to illustrate Hamiltonian circuits.
Modular Fractions
Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:
We only need 7 numbers for modulus (or clock) arithmetic mod 7 including working with fractions. Explore how to divide numbers and write fractions in modulus arithemtic.
NRICH is part of the family of activities in the Millennium Mathematics Project.