Working systematically

problem
Teddy bear line-up

Age

5 to 7

Challenge level

What is the least number of moves you can take to rearrange the bears so that no bear is next to a bear of the same colour?
problem
Buying a balloon

Age

7 to 11

Challenge level

Lolla bought a balloon at the circus. She gave the clown six coins to pay for it. What could Lolla have paid for the balloon?
problem
A city of towers

Age

5 to 7

Challenge level

In this town, houses are built with one room for each person. There are some families of seven people living in the town. In how many different ways can they build their houses?
problem
Three way mix up

Age

5 to 11

Challenge level

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?
problem
2, 4, 6, 8

Age

5 to 7

Challenge level

Using the cards 2, 4, 6, 8, +, - and =, what number statements can you make?
problem
Jumping cricket

Age

5 to 7

Challenge level

El Crico the cricket has to cross a square patio to get home. He can jump the length of one tile, two tiles and three tiles. Can you find a path that would get El Crico home in three jumps?
problem
Mixed-up socks

Age

5 to 7

Challenge level

Start with three pairs of socks. Now mix them up so that no mismatched pair is the same as another mismatched pair. Is there more than one way to do it?
problem
Three by three

Age

5 to 11

Challenge level

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
problem
Whose face?

Age

5 to 11

Challenge level

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

Age

5 to 7

Challenge level

Explore the different snakes that can be made using 5 cubes.