Working systematically

  • Stairs
    problem

    Stairs

    Age
    5 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star empty star empty star
    This challenge is to design different step arrangements, which must go along a distance of 6 on the steps and must end up at 6 high.
  • A smiling emoji and a sad emoji.
    problem

    Whose Face?

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

    These are the faces of Will, Lil, Bill, Phil and Jill. Use the clues to work out which name goes with each face.

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

    Today's Date - 01/06/2009

    Age
    5 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star empty star empty star
    What do you notice about the date 03.06.09? Or 08.01.09? This challenge invites you to investigate some interesting dates yourself.
  • HexPentas
    problem

    HexPentas

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

    How many different ways can you find of fitting five hexagons together? How will you know you have found all the ways?

  • Possible Pieces
    problem

    Possible Pieces

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

    Can you create jigsaw pieces which are based on a square shape, with at least one peg and one hole?

  • A blue train carriage against a blue sky.
    problem

    Train Carriages

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

    Suppose there is a train with 24 carriages which are going to be put together to make up some new trains. Can you find all the ways that this can be done?

  • problem

    Ladybird Box

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

    Place six toy ladybirds into the box so that there are two ladybirds in every column and every row.

  • Coloured counters on a white background. One green counter is surrounded by six blue counters.
    problem

    Three by Three

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

    Arrange 3 red, 3 blue and 3 yellow counters into a three-by-three square grid, so that there is only one of each colour in every row and every column

  • Three Way Mix Up
    problem

    Three Way Mix Up

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

    Jack has nine tiles. He put them together to make a square so that two tiles of the same colour were not beside each other. Can you find another way to do it?

  • A circle split into quarters coloured red, blue, green and orange.
    problem

    Four Colours

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

    Kate has eight multilink cubes. She has two red ones, two yellow, two green and two blue. She wants to fit them together to make a cube so that each colour shows on each face just once.