This page has been superseded by our Working Systematically - Primary Students page
Mathematicians often talk about the importance of working systematically. This means that rather than working in a haphazard and random way, there is a methodical, organised and logical approach. The problems below will challenge you to work systematically and will help you appreciate the benefits of working in this way.
Scroll down to see our complete collection of Upper Primary problems, or explore the two sub-collections.
We also have a collection of Lower Primary problems that lend themselves to working systematically.
Primary teachers may like to read our article Encouraging Primary Children to Work Systematically.
![Finding all possibilities Upper Primary](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-9795-icon.jpg?itok=AbHgwPGw)
Finding all possibilities Upper Primary
![Ordered Ways of Working Upper Primary](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-9799-icon.jpg?itok=rjaodtx2)
Ordered Ways of Working Upper Primary
![Sitting round the party tables](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-7228-icon.gif?itok=z3fzVHd3)
Sitting round the party tables
![Beads and bags](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-7374-icon.png?itok=NmXIh3vw)
Beads and bags
![Half Time](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-7408-icon.jpg?itok=JF-ETQem)
![School fair necklaces](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-9692-icon.png?itok=n1rKkkOQ)
School fair necklaces
![Plenty of Pens](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-02-06-penta4-icon.jpg?itok=Q8PYItBO)
Plenty of Pens
![Trebling](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-03-11-penta1-icon.gif?itok=Gu7SmX2J)
![A Square of Numbers](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-03-11-penta2-icon.gif?itok=wlJ1dBta)
A Square of Numbers
![A Mixed-up Clock](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-02-07-penta2-icon.gif?itok=XVrNlnIx)
A Mixed-up Clock
![Nine-Pin Triangles](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-2852-icon.png?itok=Ab8Twm9e)
Nine-Pin Triangles
![First Connect Three](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-5865-icon.png?itok=04WHK5zo)
First Connect Three
![What Do you Need?](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-5950-icon.png?itok=wgqMJ7pg)
What Do you Need?
![Cubes Here and There](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-6119-icon.png?itok=9QDufP6Y)
Cubes Here and There
![Magic Vs](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-6274-icon.png?itok=dRZNbkAI)
Magic Vs
![Fifteen cards](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-7506-icon.png?itok=z3XnnkJh)
![First Connect Three for Two](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-10096-icon.png?itok=9Iy6Kv1c)
First Connect Three for Two
![Buying a Balloon](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-01-01-letme1-icon.png?itok=4_BYOktc)
Buying a Balloon
![Domino sets](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-9965-icon.png?itok=KWnxHhoz)
![Six Ten Total](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-10917-icon.png?itok=8Kj7_InU)
Six Ten Total
![All the Digits](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-02-09-penta1-icon.png?itok=nuAeRKtn)
All the Digits
![Six Numbered Cubes](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-10918-icon.png?itok=R9ReuN0z)
![Reach 100](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-02-09-penta2-icon.gif?itok=VCjD2daE)
Reach 100
Choose four different digits from 1-9 and put one in each box so that the resulting four two-digit numbers add to a total of 100.
![Factor Lines](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-02-10-penta5-icon.gif?itok=RIygcdS8)
Factor Lines
![Two Primes Make One Square](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-03-01-penta2-icon.gif?itok=UNPMgYqh)
Two Primes Make One Square
![Sealed Solution](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-03-06-penta4-icon.gif?itok=doeBT_KV)
Sealed Solution
![Make 37](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-03-10-penta1-icon.gif?itok=RCFWIUZI)
Make 37
![Finding Fifteen](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-2645-icon.png?itok=dCkzVLdA)
Finding Fifteen
![Light the Lights Again](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-7035-icon.gif?itok=E1T6ZYZN)
Light the Lights Again
![Button-Up Some More](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-7350-icon.jpg?itok=1e5Hi_3K)
Button-Up Some More
![This Pied Piper of Hamelin](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-8315-icon.gif?itok=BPa6O2ul)
This Pied Piper of Hamelin
![Maze 100](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-01-07-bbprob1-icon.gif?itok=CF_g9bk5)
![Prison Cells](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-99-03-penta1-icon.jpg?itok=D7-0aqyn)
Prison Cells
![Counting Cards](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-03-07-six4-icon.gif?itok=Qs0B1qK8)
Counting Cards
![5 on the clock](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-98-10-penta1-icon.gif?itok=pvYbgg49)
5 on the clock
![Curious number](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-7218-icon.png?itok=yakj4l75)
Curious number
![Inky Cube](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-7241-icon.jpg?itok=RLwPEkH8)
Inky Cube
![Dice in a Corner](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-8586-icon.png?itok=afailiuC)
Dice in a Corner
![Tea Cups](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-97-12-bbprob1-icon.png?itok=ok-j-SGi)
Tea Cups
![The Dice Train](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-9747-icon.png?itok=MZa5e7ja)
The Dice Train
![Cover the tray](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-9905-icon.png?itok=TJGE5u00)