Estimating and approximating

  • Archimedes Numerical Roots
    problem

    Archimedes numerical roots

    Age
    16 to 18
    Challenge level
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    How did Archimedes calculate the lengths of the sides of the polygons which needed him to be able to calculate square roots?

  • Nice or Nasty
    problem

    Nice or nasty

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
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    There are nasty versions of this dice game but we'll start with the nice ones...

  • Cobalt decay
    problem

    Cobalt decay

    Age
    16 to 18
    Challenge level
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    Investigate the effects of the half-lifes of the isotopes of cobalt on the mass of a mystery lump of the element.
  • Back fitter
    problem

    Back fitter

    Age
    14 to 18
    Challenge level
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    10 graphs of experimental data are given. Can you use a spreadsheet to find algebraic graphs which match them closely, and thus discover the formulae most likely to govern the underlying processes?

  • Approximately certain
    problem

    Approximately certain

    Age
    14 to 18
    Challenge level
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    Estimate these curious quantities sufficiently accurately that you can rank them in order of size
  • Power Countdown
    problem

    Power countdown

    Age
    14 to 16
    Challenge level
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    In this twist on the well-known Countdown numbers game, use your knowledge of Powers and Roots to make a target.

  • Today's date - 01/06/2009
    problem

    Today's date - 01/06/2009

    Age
    5 to 11
    Challenge level
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    What do you notice about the date 03.06.09? Or 08.01.09? This challenge invites you to investigate some interesting dates yourself.
  • A question of scale
    problem

    A question of scale

    Age
    14 to 16
    Challenge level
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    Use your skill and knowledge to place various scientific lengths in order of size. Can you judge the length of objects with sizes ranging from 1 Angstrom to 1 million km with no wrong attempts?

  • Thunder and Lightning
    problem

    Thunder and lightning

    Age
    11 to 14
    Challenge level
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    How far away was the lightning if the flash and the thunderclap were 6 seconds apart?