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Skeleton Shapes

Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Primary curriculum
  • Problem
  • Getting Started
  • Student Solutions
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Skeleton shapes are made with balls of modelling clay and straws.

This shows a cube and a skeleton cube:

How many balls of modelling clay and how many straws does it take to make the cube?

Here are some piles of modelling clay balls and straws:

piles of balls and straws: 6 straws with 4 balls, 9 straws with 6 balls, 8 straws with 5 balls, 12 straws with 8 balls, 18 straws with 12 balls

Look at the shapes below and decide which piles are needed to make a skeleton of each shape.

solid triangular prism, tetrahedron, cuboid, square pyramid and hexagonal prism

How do you know which piles go with which shape?

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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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