Working systematically

  • Zargon Glasses
    problem

    Zargon Glasses

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star empty star
    Zumf makes spectacles for the residents of the planet Zargon, who have either 3 eyes or 4 eyes. How many lenses will Zumf need to make all the different orders for 9 families?
  • Arranging the Tables
    problem

    Arranging the Tables

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star empty star
    There are 44 people coming to a dinner party. There are 15 square tables that seat 4 people. Find a way to seat the 44 people using all 15 tables, with no empty places.
  • Team Scream
    problem

    Team Scream

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star empty star
    Seven friends went to a fun fair with lots of scary rides. They decided to pair up for rides until each friend had ridden once with each of the others. What was the total number rides?
  • Map Folding
    problem

    Map Folding

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star empty star
    Take a rectangle of paper and fold it in half, and half again, to make four smaller rectangles. How many different ways can you fold it up?
  • Coloured wooden blocks arranged to make a two-by-two cube.
    problem

    Creating Cubes

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

    Arrange 9 red cubes, 9 blue cubes and 9 yellow cubes into a large 3 by 3 cube. No row or column of cubes must contain two cubes of the same colour.

  • Plates of Biscuits
    problem

    Plates of Biscuits

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star empty star
    Can you rearrange the biscuits on the plates so that the three biscuits on each plate are all different and there is no plate with two biscuits the same as two biscuits on another plate?
  • A-magical number maze
    problem

    A-Magical Number Maze

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star empty star
    This magic square has operations written in it, to make it into a maze. Start wherever you like, go through every cell and go out a total of 15!
  • Home Time
    problem

    Home Time

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star empty star
    Alice's mum needs to go to each child's house just once and then back home again. How many different routes are there? Use the information to find out how long each road is on the route she took.
  • Seven Pots of Plants
    problem

    Seven Pots of Plants

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star empty star
    There are seven pots of plants in a greenhouse. They have lost their labels. Perhaps you can help re-label them.
  • A Square Deal
    problem

    A Square Deal

    Age
    7 to 11
    Challenge level
    filled star filled star empty star
    Complete the magic square using the numbers 1 to 25 once each. Each row, column and diagonal adds up to 65.