Topology

There are 28 NRICH Mathematical resources connected to Topology
Earth Shapes
problem

Earth shapes

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
filled star empty star empty star
What if the Earth's shape was a cube or a cone or a pyramid or a saddle ... See some curious worlds here.
Königsberg
problem

Königsberg

Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
filled star filled star empty star
Can you cross each of the seven bridges that join the north and south of the river to the two islands, once and once only, without retracing your steps?
Travelling Salesman
problem

Travelling salesman

Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
filled star empty star empty star
A Hamiltonian circuit is a continuous path in a graph that passes through each of the vertices exactly once and returns to the start. How many Hamiltonian circuits can you find in these graphs?
Tourism
problem

Tourism

Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
filled star filled star filled star
If you can copy a network without lifting your pen off the paper and without drawing any line twice, then it is traversable. Decide which of these diagrams are traversable.
The Bridges of Konigsberg
problem

The bridges of konigsberg

Age
11 to 18
Challenge level
filled star empty star empty star
Investigate how networks can be used to solve a problem for the 18th Century inhabitants of Konigsberg.
Painting by Numbers
problem

Painting by numbers

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
filled star empty star empty star
How many different colours of paint would be needed to paint these pictures by numbers?
Torus patterns
problem

Torus patterns

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
filled star filled star filled star
How many different colours would be needed to colour these different patterns on a torus?
Colouring curves game
game

Colouring curves game

In this game, try not to colour two adjacent regions the same colour. Can you work out a strategy?
Icosian Game
problem

Icosian game

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

This problem is about investigating whether it is possible to start at one vertex of a platonic solid and visit every other vertex once only returning to the vertex you started at.