We can show that (x + 1)² = x² + 2x + 1 by considering
the area of an (x + 1) by (x + 1) square. Show in a similar way
that (x + 2)² = x² + 4x + 4
Can you explain the strategy for winning this game with any target?
When number pyramids have a sequence on the bottom layer, some interesting patterns emerge...
Triangle numbers can be represented by a triangular array of squares. What do you notice about the sum of identical triangle numbers?
Can you find a relationship between the number of dots on the
circle and the number of steps that will ensure that all points are
Try entering different sets of numbers in the number pyramids. How does the total at the top change?
A game for two people, or play online. Given a target number, say 23, and a range of numbers to choose from, say 1-4, players take it in turns to add to the running total to hit their target.
What are the areas of these triangles? What do you notice? Can you generalise to other "families" of triangles?
Euler discussed whether or not it was possible to stroll around Koenigsberg crossing each of its seven bridges exactly once. Experiment with different numbers of islands and bridges.
Start with any number of counters in any number of piles. 2 players
take it in turns to remove any number of counters from a single
pile. The winner is the player to take the last counter.
A game for 2 players that can be played online. Players take it in turns to select a word from the 9 words given. The aim is to select all the occurrences of the same letter.
The number of plants in Mr McGregor's magic potting shed increases
overnight. He'd like to put the same number of plants in each of
his gardens, planting one garden each day. How can he do it?
It's easy to work out the areas of most squares that we meet, but
what if they were tilted?
Can you find all the 4-ball shuffles?
Can you make a right-angled triangle on this peg-board by joining up three points round the edge?
These formulae are often quoted, but rarely proved. In this article, we derive the formulae for the volumes of a square-based pyramid and a cone, using relatively simple mathematical concepts.
A tilted square is a square with no horizontal sides. Can you
devise a general instruction for the construction of a square when
you are given just one of its sides?
The opposite vertices of a square have coordinates (a,b) and (c,d). What are the coordinates of the other vertices?
Arrange the four number cards on the grid, according to the rules, to make a diagonal, vertical or horizontal line.
Six balls of various colours are randomly shaken into a trianglular
arrangement. What is the probability of having at least one red in
Work out how to light up the single light. What's the rule?
The aim of the game is to slide the green square from the top right
hand corner to the bottom left hand corner in the least number of
Semi-regular tessellations combine two or more different regular polygons to fill the plane. Can you find all the semi-regular tessellations?
A red square and a blue square overlap so that the corner of the red square rests on the centre of the blue square. Show that, whatever the orientation of the red square, it covers a quarter of the. . . .
Can you discover whether this is a fair game?
Slide the pieces to move Khun Phaen past all the guards into the position on the right from which he can escape to freedom.
Charlie likes tablecloths that use as many colours as possible, but insists that his tablecloths have some symmetry. Can you work out how many colours he needs for different tablecloth designs?
What can you say about the values of n that make $7^n + 3^n$ a multiple of 10? Are there other pairs of integers between 1 and 10 which have similar properties?
You can move the 4 pieces of the jigsaw and fit them into both
outlines. Explain what has happened to the missing one unit of
Do you know how to find the area of a triangle? You can count the
squares. What happens if we turn the triangle on end? Press the
button and see. Try counting the number of units in the triangle
now. . . .
A game for 2 players. Can be played online. One player has 1 red
counter, the other has 4 blue. The red counter needs to reach the
other side, and the blue needs to trap the red.
This article gives you a few ideas for understanding the Got It! game and how you might find a winning strategy.
Interactive game. Set your own level of challenge, practise your table skills and beat your previous best score.
Can you find a reliable strategy for choosing coordinates that will locate the robber in the minimum number of guesses?
To avoid losing think of another very well known game where the
patterns of play are similar.
A circle rolls around the outside edge of a square so that its circumference always touches the edge of the square. Can you describe the locus of the centre of the circle?
Use the interactivity to listen to the bells ringing a pattern. Now
it's your turn! Play one of the bells yourself. How do you know
when it is your turn to ring?
7 balls are shaken in a container. You win if the two blue balls
touch. What is the probability of winning?
First Connect Three game for an adult and child. Use the dice numbers and either addition or subtraction to get three numbers in a straight line.
Have you seen this way of doing multiplication ?
Here is a solitaire type environment for you to experiment with. Which targets can you reach?
Find the frequency distribution for ordinary English, and use it to help you crack the code.
Mr McGregor has a magic potting shed. Overnight, the number of
plants in it doubles. He'd like to put the same number of plants in
each of three gardens, planting one garden each day. Can he do it?
Here is a chance to play a version of the classic Countdown Game.
Use the interactivity to play two of the bells in a pattern. How do
you know when it is your turn to ring, and how do you know which
bell to ring?
A collection of resources to support work on Factors and Multiples at Secondary level.
Ask a friend to choose a number between 1 and 63. By identifying which of the six cards contains the number they are thinking of it is easy to tell them what the number is.
A and B are two interlocking cogwheels having p teeth and q teeth respectively. One tooth on B is painted red. Find the values of p and q for which the red tooth on B contacts every gap on the. . . .
Meg and Mo need to hang their marbles so that they balance. Use the
interactivity to experiment and find out what they need to do.
An animation that helps you understand the game of Nim.