Reasoning, convincing and proving

There are 514 NRICH Mathematical resources connected to Reasoning, convincing and proving
Proximity
problem

Proximity

Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
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We are given a regular icosahedron having three red vertices. Show that it has a vertex that has at least two red neighbours.
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.
Target Six
problem

Target six

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Show that x = 1 is a solution of the equation x^(3/2) - 8x^(-3/2) = 7 and find all other solutions.
Round and Round
problem

Round and round

Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
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Prove that the shaded area of the semicircle is equal to the area of the inner circle.
Folding Squares
problem

Folding squares

Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
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The diagonal of a square intersects the line joining one of the unused corners to the midpoint of the opposite side. What do you notice about the line segments produced?
Matter of Scale
problem

Matter of scale

Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
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Can you prove Pythagoras' Theorem using enlargements and scale factors?
Add 3 Dice
problem

Add 3 dice

Age
7 to 11
Challenge level
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Three dice are placed in a row. Find a way to turn each one so that the three numbers on top of the dice total the same as the three numbers on the front of the dice. Can you find all the ways to do this?
Ordered Sums
problem

Ordered sums

Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
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Let a(n) be the number of ways of expressing the integer n as an ordered sum of 1's and 2's. Let b(n) be the number of ways of expressing n as an ordered sum of integers greater than 1. (i) Calculate a(n) and b(n) for n<8. What do you notice about these sequences? (ii) Find a relation between a(p) and b(q). (iii) Prove your conjectures.
Day of the Triffids
problem

Day of the triffids

Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
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Jasmine buys three different types of plant. How many triffids did she buy?
Impossible square?
problem

Impossible square?

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Can you make a square from these triangles?