Combinations

  • Calcunos
    problem

    Calcunos

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star filled star
    If we had 16 light bars which digital numbers could we make? How will you know you've found them all?
  • Newspapers
    problem

    Newspapers

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star empty star
    When newspaper pages get separated at home we have to try to sort them out and get things in the correct order. How many ways can we arrange these pages so that the numbering may be different?
  • Little Boxes
    problem

    Little boxes

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star empty star
    How many different cuboids can you make when you use four CDs or DVDs? How about using five, then six?
  • 3 Rings
    problem

    3 rings

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star empty star empty star
    If you have three circular objects, you could arrange them so that they are separate, touching, overlapping or inside each other. Can you investigate all the different possibilities?
  • Homes
    problem

    Homes

    Age
    5 to 7
    Challenge level
    filled star empty star empty star
    Six new homes are being built! They can be detached, semi-detached or terraced houses. How many different combinations of these can you find?
  • problem

    Plants

    Age
    5 to 14
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star empty star

    Three children are going to buy some plants for their birthdays. They will plant them within circular paths. How could they do this?

  • Tiles on a Patio
    problem

    Tiles on a patio

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star empty star
    How many ways can you find of tiling the square patio, using square tiles of different sizes?
  • Tea Cups
    problem

    Tea cups

    Age
    7 to 14
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star filled star
    Place the 16 different combinations of cup/saucer in this 4 by 4 arrangement so that no row or column contains more than one cup or saucer of the same colour.
  • Cereal Packets
    problem

    Cereal packets

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star empty star
    How can you put five cereal packets together to make different shapes if you must put them face-to-face?
  • Multilink Cubes
    problem

    Multilink cubes

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star empty star empty star
    If you had 36 cubes, what different cuboids could you make?