Can you put the numbers 1 to 8 into the circles so that the four
calculations are correct?
This problem is based on a code using two different prime numbers
less than 10. You'll need to multiply them together and shift the
alphabet forwards by the result. Can you decipher the code?
Use the information about Sally and her brother to find out how many children there are in the Brown family.
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?
Can you arrange 5 different digits (from 0 - 9) in the cross in the
Can you work out how many flowers there will be on the Amazing Splitting Plant after it has been growing for six weeks?
There were 22 legs creeping across the web. How many flies? How many spiders?
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!
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
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?
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?
Claire thinks she has the most sports cards in her album. "I have
12 pages with 2 cards on each page", says Claire. Ross counts his
cards. "No! I have 3 cards on each of my pages and there are. . . .
This challenge is a game for two players. Choose two numbers from the grid and multiply or divide, then mark your answer on the number line. Can you get four in a row before your partner?
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!
What do you notice about the date 03.06.09? Or 08.01.09? This
challenge invites you to investigate some interesting dates
An old game but lots of arithmetic!
Choose a symbol to put into the number sentence.
Can you each work out the number on your card? What do you notice?
How could you sort the cards?
Can you find which shapes you need to put into the grid to make the
totals at the end of each row and the bottom of each column?
Using the statements, can you work out how many of each type of
rabbit there are in these pens?
Start by putting one million (1 000 000) into the display of your
calculator. Can you reduce this to 7 using just the 7 key and add,
subtract, multiply, divide and equals as many times as you like?
Can you complete this jigsaw of the multiplication square?
Put operations signs between the numbers 3 4 5 6 to make the highest possible number and lowest possible number.
Use your logical-thinking skills to deduce how much Dan's crisps and ice-cream cost altogether.
A game for 2 people. Use your skills of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to blast the asteroids.
Twizzle, a female giraffe, needs transporting to another zoo. Which
route will give the fastest journey?
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.
Can you see why 2 by 2 could be 5? Can you predict what 2 by 10
A group of children are using measuring cylinders but they lose the
labels. Can you help relabel them?
Cherri, Saxon, Mel and Paul are friends. They are all different
ages. Can you find out the age of each friend using the
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?
Suppose we allow ourselves to use three numbers less than 10 and
multiply them together. How many different products can you find?
How do you know you've got them all?
These eleven shapes each stand for a different number. Can you use the multiplication sums to work out what they are?
What is happening at each box in these machines?
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?
This group activity will encourage you to share calculation
strategies and to think about which strategy might be the most
The clockmaker's wife cut up his birthday cake to look like a clock
face. Can you work out who received each piece?
We can arrange dots in a similar way to the 5 on a dice and they
usually sit quite well into a rectangular shape. How many
altogether in this 3 by 5? What happens for other sizes?
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?
If the numbers 5, 7 and 4 go into this function machine, what
numbers will come out?
Find at least one way to put in some operation signs (+ - x ÷)
to make these digits come to 100.
In a Magic Square all the rows, columns and diagonals add to the 'Magic Constant'. How would you change the magic constant of this square?
Tom and Ben visited Numberland. Use the maps to work out the number
of points each of their routes scores.
If you had any number of ordinary dice, what are the possible ways
of making their totals 6? What would the product of the dice be
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?
Can you work out the arrangement of the digits in the square so
that the given products are correct? The numbers 1 - 9 may be used
once and once only.
Put a number at the top of the machine and collect a number at the
bottom. What do you get? Which numbers get back to themselves?
Here is a chance to play a version of the classic Countdown Game.
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?
This multiplication uses each of the digits 0 - 9 once and once only. Using the information given, can you replace the stars in the calculation with figures?