In this article for Primary teachers, Ems explores three essential features of proof, all of which can be developed in the context of primary mathematics through talk.
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Can you work out the fraction of the original triangle that is covered by the green triangle?
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If you are given the mean, median and mode of five positive whole numbers, can you find the numbers?
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Try out these calculations. Are you surprised by the results?
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A polite number can be written as the sum of two or more consecutive positive integers, for example 8+9+10=27 is a polite number. Can you find some more polite, and impolite, numbers?
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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?
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Which of these pocket money systems would you rather have?
