These sixteen children are standing in four lines of four, one
behind the other. They are each holding a card with a number on it.
Can you work out the missing numbers?
Find the next number in this pattern: 3, 7, 19, 55 ...
The value of the circle changes in each of the following problems.
Can you discover its value in each problem?
If the numbers 5, 7 and 4 go into this function machine, what
numbers will come out?
There are three buckets each of which holds a maximum of 5 litres.
Use the clues to work out how much liquid there is in each bucket.
Use the information to work out how many gifts there are in each
Peter, Melanie, Amil and Jack received a total of 38 chocolate
eggs. Use the information to work out how many eggs each person
EWWNP means Exploring Wild and Wonderful Number Patterns Created by Yourself! Investigate what happens if we create number patterns using some simple rules.
These eleven shapes each stand for a different number. Can you use the multiplication sums to work out what they are?
Put operations signs between the numbers 3 4 5 6 to make the highest possible number and lowest possible number.
Rocco ran in a 200 m race for his class. Use the information to
find out how many runners there were in the race and what Rocco's
finishing position was.
Can you score 100 by throwing rings on this board? Is there more
than way to do it?
Mr. Sunshine tells the children they will have 2 hours of homework.
After several calculations, Harry says he hasn't got time to do
this homework. Can you see where his reasoning is wrong?
On the table there is a pile of oranges and lemons that weighs
exactly one kilogram. Using the information, can you work out how
many lemons there are?
Katie had a pack of 20 cards numbered from 1 to 20. She arranged
the cards into 6 unequal piles where each pile added to the same
total. What was the total and how could this be done?
In this investigation, you are challenged to make mobile phone
numbers which are easy to remember. What happens if you make a
sequence adding 2 each time?
Using the statements, can you work out how many of each type of
rabbit there are in these pens?
On a calculator, make 15 by using only the 2 key and any of the
four operations keys. How many ways can you find to do it?
Use your logical reasoning to work out how many cows and how many
sheep there are in each field.
Go through the maze, collecting and losing your money as you go.
Which route gives you the highest return? And the lowest?
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.
48 is called an abundant number because it is less than the sum of
its factors (without itself). Can you find some more abundant
Try adding together the dates of all the days in one week. Now
multiply the first date by 7 and add 21. Can you explain what
Use 4 four times with simple operations so that you get the answer 12. Can you make 15, 16 and 17 too?
Here are the prices for 1st and 2nd class mail within the UK. You have an unlimited number of each of these stamps. Which stamps would you need to post a parcel weighing 825g?
On the planet Vuv there are two sorts of creatures. The Zios have 3 legs and the Zepts have 7 legs. The great planetary explorer Nico counted 52 legs. How many Zios and how many Zepts were there?
All the girls would like a puzzle each for Christmas and all the
boys would like a book each. Solve the riddle to find out how many
puzzles and books Santa left.
Find at least one way to put in some operation signs (+ - x ÷)
to make these digits come to 100.
The Scot, John Napier, invented these strips about 400 years ago to
help calculate multiplication and division. Can you work out how to
use Napier's bones to find the answer to these multiplications?
What is happening at each box in these machines?
Can you arrange 5 different digits (from 0 - 9) in the cross in the
Look on the back of any modern book and you will find an ISBN code. Take this code and calculate this sum in the way shown. Can you see what the answers always have in common?
Where can you draw a line on a clock face so that the numbers on
both sides have the same total?
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?
Find out what a Deca Tree is and then work out how many leaves
there will be after the woodcutter has cut off a trunk, a branch, a
twig and a leaf.
This problem is based on the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. Investigate the different numbers of people and rats there could have been if you know how many legs there are altogether!
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!
A game for 2 people. Use your skills of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to blast the asteroids.
There is a clock-face where the numbers have become all mixed up. Can you find out where all the numbers have got to from these ten statements?
Use your logical-thinking skills to deduce how much Dan's crisps and ice-cream cost altogether.
Ben’s class were making cutting up number tracks. First they
cut them into twos and added up the numbers on each piece. What
patterns could they see?
Can you fill in this table square? The numbers 2 -12 were used to generate it with just one number used twice.
Find another number that is one short of a square number and when
you double it and add 1, the result is also a square number.
A group of children are using measuring cylinders but they lose the
labels. Can you help relabel them?
There were chews for 2p, mini eggs for 3p, Chocko bars for 5p and
lollypops for 7p in the sweet shop. What could each of the children
buy with their money?
Annie cut this numbered cake into 3 pieces with 3 cuts so that the
numbers on each piece added to the same total. Where were the cuts
and what fraction of the whole cake was each piece?
The clockmaker's wife cut up his birthday cake to look like a clock
face. Can you work out who received each piece?
Explore Alex's number plumber. What questions would you like to ask? What do you think is happening to the numbers?
This number has 903 digits. What is the sum of all 903 digits?
Cherri, Saxon, Mel and Paul are friends. They are all different
ages. Can you find out the age of each friend using the