Conjecturing and generalising

  • Card Trick 2
    problem

    Card Trick 2

    Age
    11 to 14
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3
    Can you explain how this card trick works?
  • Repeaters
    problem

    Repeaters

    Age
    11 to 14
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3
    Choose any 3 digits and make a 6 digit number by repeating the 3 digits in the same order (e.g. 594594). Explain why whatever digits you choose the number will always be divisible by 7, 11 and 13.
  • Lower Bound
    problem

    Lower Bound

    Age
    14 to 16
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3
    What would you get if you continued this sequence of fraction sums? 1/2 + 2/1 = 2/3 + 3/2 = 3/4 + 4/3 =
  • Mini-max
    problem

    Mini-Max

    Age
    11 to 14
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3
    Consider all two digit numbers (10, 11, . . . ,99). In writing down all these numbers, which digits occur least often, and which occur most often ? What about three digit numbers, four digit numbers and so on?
  • Converging Means
    problem

    Converging Means

    Age
    14 to 16
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3
    Take any two positive numbers. Calculate the arithmetic and geometric means. Repeat the calculations to generate a sequence of arithmetic means and geometric means. Make a note of what happens to the two sequences.
  • Calendar Calculations
    problem

    Calendar Calculations

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3
    Try adding together the dates of all the days in one week. Now multiply the first date by 7 and add 21. Can you explain what happens?
  • Path to the Stars
    problem

    Path to the Stars

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3
    Is it possible to draw a 5-pointed star without taking your pencil off the paper? Is it possible to draw a 6-pointed star in the same way without taking your pen off?
  • Hidden Rectangles
    problem

    Hidden Rectangles

    Age
    11 to 14
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3
    Rectangles are considered different if they vary in size or have different locations. How many different rectangles can be drawn on a chessboard?
  • Move a Match
    problem

    Move a Match

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3
    How can you arrange these 10 matches in four piles so that when you move one match from three of the piles into the fourth, you end up with the same arrangement?
  • Overarch 2
    problem

    Overarch 2

    Age
    16 to 18
    Challenge level
    3 out of 3
    Bricks are 20cm long and 10cm high. How high could an arch be built without mortar on a flat horizontal surface, to overhang by 1 metre? How big an overhang is it possible to make like this?