Permutations

article
Ding dong bell

The reader is invited to investigate changes (or permutations) in the ringing of church bells, illustrated by braid diagrams showing the order in which the bells are rung.
article
Card shuffle

This article for students and teachers tries to think about how long would it take someone to create every possible shuffle of a pack of cards, with surprising results.
problem
Euromaths

Age

11 to 14

Challenge level

How many ways can you write the word EUROMATHS by starting at the top left hand corner and taking the next letter by stepping one step down or one step to the right in a 5x5 array?
problem
And so on and so on

Age

11 to 14

Challenge level

If you wrote all the possible four digit numbers made by using each of the digits 2, 4, 5, 7 once, what would they add up to?
problem
396

Age

14 to 16

Challenge level

The four digits 5, 6, 7 and 8 are put at random in the spaces of the number : 3 _ 1 _ 4 _ 0 _ 9 2 Calculate the probability that the answer will be a multiple of 396.
problem
Oranges and lemons, say the bells of St Clement's

Age

11 to 14

Challenge level

Bellringers have a special way to write down the patterns they ring. Learn about these patterns and draw some of your own.
problem
Colourful tiles

Age

11 to 14

Challenge level

Weekly Problem 21 - 2011
How many ways can you paint this wall with four different colours?
problem
Flagging

Age

11 to 14

Challenge level

How many tricolour flags are possible with 5 available colours such that two adjacent stripes must NOT be the same colour. What about 256 colours?
problem
Thank your lucky stars

Age

14 to 16

Challenge level

A counter is placed in the bottom right hand corner of a grid. You toss a coin and move the star according to the following rules: ... What is the probability that you end up in the top left-hand corner of the grid?
problem
Master minding

Age

11 to 14

Challenge level

Your partner chooses two beads and places them side by side behind a screen. What is the minimum number of guesses you would need to be sure of guessing the two beads and their positions?