Conjecturing and generalising

  • Two's company
    problem

    Two's company

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

    Seven balls are shaken. You win if the two blue balls end up touching. What is the probability of winning?

  • Cosy corner
    problem

    Cosy corner

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

    Six balls are shaken. You win if at least one red ball ends in a corner. What is the probability of winning?

  • ...on the wall
    problem

    ...on the wall

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

    Explore the effect of reflecting in two intersecting mirror lines.

  • Route to infinity
    problem

    Route to infinity

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

    Can you describe this route to infinity? Where will the arrows take you next?

  • Power mad!
    problem

    Power mad!

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

    Powers of numbers behave in surprising ways. Take a look at some of these and try to explain why they are true.

  • Christmas chocolates
    problem

    Christmas chocolates

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

    How could Penny, Tom and Matthew work out how many chocolates there are in different sized boxes?

  • The Tower of Hanoi - three wooden poles, with several coloured rings of decreasing sizes on the middle pole.
    problem

    Tower of Hanoi

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

    The Tower of Hanoi is an ancient mathematical challenge. Working on the building blocks may help you to explain the patterns you notice.

  • Handshakes
    problem

    Handshakes

    Age
    11 to 14
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star empty star
    Can you find an efficient method to work out how many handshakes there would be if hundreds of people met?
  • Four Coloured Lights
    problem

    Four coloured lights

    Age
    11 to 14
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star empty star
    Imagine a machine with four coloured lights which respond to different rules. Can you find the smallest possible number which will make all four colours light up?
  • Opposite vertices
    problem

    Opposite vertices

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

    Can you recreate squares and rhombuses if you are only given a side or a diagonal?