Explaining, convincing and proving

  • Long Short
    problem

    Long short

    Age
    14 to 16
    Challenge level
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    What can you say about the lengths of the sides of a quadrilateral whose vertices are on a unit circle?
  • Mod 3
    problem

    Mod 3

    Age
    14 to 16
    Challenge level
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    Prove that if a^2+b^2 is a multiple of 3 then both a and b are multiples of 3.
  • Our Ages
    problem

    Our ages

    Age
    14 to 16
    Challenge level
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    I am exactly n times my daughter's age. In m years I shall be ... How old am I?
  • DOTS Division
    problem

    DOTS division

    Age
    14 to 16
    Challenge level
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    Take any pair of two digit numbers x=ab and y=cd where, without loss of generality, ab > cd . Form two 4 digit numbers r=abcd and s=cdab and calculate: {r^2 - s^2} /{x^2 - y^2}.

  • There's a limit
    problem

    There's a limit

    Age
    14 to 18
    Challenge level
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    Explore the continued fraction: 2+3/(2+3/(2+3/2+...)) What do you notice when successive terms are taken? What happens to the terms if the fraction goes on indefinitely?
  • Diophantine n-tuples
    problem

    Diophantine n-tuples

    Age
    14 to 16
    Challenge level
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    Can you explain why a sequence of operations always gives you perfect squares?
  • Pythagorean Golden Means
    problem

    Pythagorean golden means

    Age
    16 to 18
    Challenge level
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    Show that the arithmetic mean, geometric mean and harmonic mean of a and b can be the lengths of the sides of a right-angles triangle if and only if a = bx^3, where x is the Golden Ratio.
  • Euler's Squares
    problem

    Euler's squares

    Age
    14 to 16
    Challenge level
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    Euler found four whole numbers such that the sum of any two of the numbers is a perfect square...
  • Three cubes
    problem

    Three cubes

    Age
    14 to 16
    Challenge level
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    Can you work out the dimensions of the three cubes?

  • Orthogonal Circle
    problem

    Orthogonal circle

    Age
    16 to 18
    Challenge level
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    Given any three non intersecting circles in the plane find another circle or straight line which cuts all three circles orthogonally.