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For younger learners

  • Early Years Foundation Stage

Describe the Drawers

Age 5 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow star
  • Problem
  • Getting Started
  • Student Solutions
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Here is a set of drawers:

Four rows of drawers. Top row: AB_CDE_F, second row: GHIJKLM_, third row: N_OP_QRS, fourth row: TUVW_XYZ

As you can see, some are labelled with a letter and some are not.

How could you say where the letter K is? Can you describe the position of that drawer without mentioning any of the labels on the other drawers?
What about the letter C? Or the letter M?
How would you describe where the drawers are that have labels which spell the name of your country?
How would you describe where the non-labelled drawers are?

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The NRICH Project aims to enrich the mathematical experiences of all learners. To support this aim, members of the NRICH team work in a wide range of capacities, including providing professional development for teachers wishing to embed rich mathematical tasks into everyday classroom practice.

NRICH is part of the family of activities in the Millennium Mathematics Project.

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