Conjecturing and generalising

  • Painted Cube
    problem

    Painted cube

    Age
    14 to 16
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star empty star
    Imagine a large cube made from small red cubes being dropped into a pot of yellow paint. How many of the small cubes will have yellow paint on their faces?
  • Tilted Squares
    problem

    Tilted squares

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

    It's easy to work out the areas of most squares that we meet, but what if they were tilted?

  • Coordinate Patterns
    problem

    Coordinate patterns

    Age
    11 to 14
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star empty star
    Charlie and Alison have been drawing patterns on coordinate grids. Can you picture where the patterns lead?
  • Seven Squares - Group-worthy Task
    problem

    Seven squares - group-worthy task

    Age
    11 to 14
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star empty star
    Choose a couple of the sequences. Try to picture how to make the next, and the next, and the next... Can you describe your reasoning?
  • Shear Magic
    problem

    Shear magic

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

    Explore the area of families of parallelograms and triangles. Can you find rules to work out the areas?

  • Number Tracks
    problem

    Number tracks

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star empty star empty star
    Ben's class were cutting up number tracks. First they cut them into twos and added up the numbers on each piece. What patterns could they see?
  • Break it up!
    problem

    Break it up!

    Age
    5 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star empty star empty star

    In how many different ways can you break up a stick of seven interlocking cubes? Now try with a stick of eight cubes and a stick of six cubes. What do you notice?

  • problem

    Up and down staircases

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star empty star empty star

    One block is needed to make an up-and-down staircase, with one step up and one step down. How many blocks would be needed to build an up-and-down staircase with 5 steps up and 5 steps down?

  • More Number Pyramids
    problem

    More number pyramids

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

    When number pyramids have a sequence on the bottom layer, some interesting patterns emerge...

  • Odd Squares
    problem

    Odd squares

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star empty star empty star

    Think of a number, square it and subtract your starting number. Is the number you're left with odd or even? How do the images help to explain this?