Can you recreate this Indian screen pattern? Can you make up
similar patterns of your own?
This practical activity challenges you to create symmetrical
designs by cutting a square into strips.
Can you see which tile is the odd one out in this design? Using the
basic tile, can you make a repeating pattern to decorate our wall?
Follow these instructions to make a five-pointed snowflake from a
square of paper.
It's hard to make a snowflake with six perfect lines of symmetry,
but it's fun to try!
A brief video looking at how you can sometimes use symmetry to
distinguish knots. Can you use this idea to investigate the
differences between the granny knot and the reef knot?
Watch this "Notes on a Triangle" film. Can you recreate parts of
the film using cut-out triangles?
Have you ever noticed the patterns in car wheel trims? These
questions will make you look at car wheels in a different way!
Can you deduce the pattern that has been used to lay out these
What is the largest number of circles we can fit into the frame
without them overlapping? How do you know? What will happen if you
try the other shapes?
This practical problem challenges you to make quadrilaterals with a loop of string. You'll need some friends to help!
This activity investigates how you might make squares and pentominoes from Polydron.
Exploring and predicting folding, cutting and punching holes and
If you have ten counters numbered 1 to 10, how many can you put into pairs that add to 10? Which ones do you have to leave out? Why?
We can cut a small triangle off the corner of a square and then fit
the two pieces together. Can you work out how these shapes are made
from the two pieces?
Can you each work out the number on your card? What do you notice?
How could you sort the cards?
Where can you put the mirror across the square so that you can still "see" the whole square? How many different positions are possible?
A game in which players take it in turns to choose a number. Can you block your opponent?
Sara and Will were sorting some pictures of shapes on cards. "I'll collect the circles," said Sara. "I'll take the red ones," answered Will. Can you see any cards they would both want?
This practical problem challenges you to create shapes and patterns
with two different types of triangle. You could even try
Make a cube out of straws and have a go at this practical
Can you fit the tangram pieces into the outline of Wai Ping, Wah Ming and Chi Wing?
Use the lines on this figure to show how the square can be divided into 2 halves, 3 thirds, 6 sixths and 9 ninths.
Ideas for practical ways of representing data such as Venn and
Let's say you can only use two different lengths - 2 units and 4
units. Using just these 2 lengths as the edges how many different
cuboids can you make?
Use the three triangles to fill these outline shapes. Perhaps you can create some of your own shapes for a friend to fill?
Can you fit the tangram pieces into the outline of this junk?
In how many ways can you fit two of these yellow triangles
together? Can you predict the number of ways two blue triangles can
be fitted together?
This problem invites you to build 3D shapes using two different
triangles. Can you make the shapes from the pictures?
Take 5 cubes of one colour and 2 of another colour. How many
different ways can you join them if the 5 must touch the table and
the 2 must not touch the table?
How can you put five cereal packets together to make different
shapes if you must put them face-to-face?
What happens to the area of a square if you double the length of
the sides? Try the same thing with rectangles, diamonds and other
shapes. How do the four smaller ones fit into the larger one?
What do these two triangles have in common? How are they related?
An activity making various patterns with 2 x 1 rectangular tiles.
Using different numbers of sticks, how many different triangles are
you able to make? Can you make any rules about the numbers of
sticks that make the most triangles?
You could use just coloured pencils and paper to create this
design, but it will be more eye-catching if you can get hold of
hammer, nails and string.
These are pictures of the sea defences at New Brighton. Can you
work out what a basic shape might be in both images of the sea wall
and work out a way they might fit together?
Kaia is sure that her father has worn a particular tie twice a week
in at least five of the last ten weeks, but her father disagrees.
Who do you think is right?
NRICH December 2006 advent calendar - a new tangram for each day in
the run-up to Christmas.
Kimie and Sebastian were making sticks from interlocking cubes and lining them up. Can they make their lines the same length? Can they make any other lines?
Can you make the birds from the egg tangram?
Here's a simple way to make a Tangram without any measuring or
If you'd like to know more about Primary Maths Masterclasses, this
is the package to read! Find out about current groups in your
region or how to set up your own.
Can you make the most extraordinary, the most amazing, the most
unusual patterns/designs from these triangles which are made in a
Are all the possible combinations of two shapes included in this
set of 27 cards? How do you know?
Investigate the smallest number of moves it takes to turn these
mats upside-down if you can only turn exactly three at a time.
Follow the diagrams to make this patchwork piece, based on an
octagon in a square.
Looking at the picture of this Jomista Mat, can you decribe what
you see? Why not try and make one yourself?
Make a chair and table out of interlocking cubes, making sure that the chair fits under the table!
Can you order pictures of the development of a frog from frogspawn
and of a bean seed growing into a plant?