Skip over navigation
Cambridge University Faculty of Mathematics NRich logo
menu search
  • Teachers expand_more
    • Early years
    • Primary
    • Secondary
    • Post-16
    • Events
    • Professional development
  • Students expand_more
    • Primary
    • Secondary
    • Post-16
  • Parents expand_more
    • Early Years
    • Primary
    • Secondary
    • Post-16
  • Problem-Solving Schools
  • About NRICH expand_more
    • About us
    • Impact stories
    • Support us
    • Our funders
    • Contact us
  • search

Or search by topic

Number and algebra

  • The Number System and Place Value
  • Calculations and Numerical Methods
  • Fractions, Decimals, Percentages, Ratio and Proportion
  • Properties of Numbers
  • Patterns, Sequences and Structure
  • Algebraic expressions, equations and formulae
  • Coordinates, Functions and Graphs

Geometry and measure

  • Angles, Polygons, and Geometrical Proof
  • 3D Geometry, Shape and Space
  • Measuring and calculating with units
  • Transformations and constructions
  • Pythagoras and Trigonometry
  • Vectors and Matrices

Probability and statistics

  • Handling, Processing and Representing Data
  • Probability

Working mathematically

  • Thinking mathematically
  • Developing positive attitudes
  • Cross-curricular contexts

Advanced mathematics

  • Decision Mathematics and Combinatorics
  • Advanced Probability and Statistics
  • Mechanics
  • Calculus

For younger learners

  • Early Years Foundation Stage

Jam

Age 14 to 16
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow starYellow star
  • Game

This is a game for two players. You need the game board shown below. It is easy to draw if you want to play this on paper. You will need two different colour pencils (highlighters are good to use).

The dots are towns. The 9 straight lines are roads going to and through the towns.

Each player takes a turn to colour over a whole straight road (even though it may pass through several towns).
The first player to colour three roads going to or through the same town wins.

Eight nodes joined together with nine lines. Each node has 3 lines leading to or passing through it. 
 

Does it matter which player goes first?
Which road is it best to colour first?

What happens to the game if you add another road or two?

Can you analyse the elements and structure in the following games and the correspondences between them?  Describe the patterns that show they are equivalent games that can be played using equivalent strategies.

  • Noughts and Crosses
  • Online
  • Fifteen
  • Jam

We suggest tackling them in the order given.


You may also like

Nim

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 loser is the player who takes the last counter.

FEMTO

A new card game for two players.

FEMTO: Follow Up

Follow-up to the February Game Rules of FEMTO.

  • Tech help
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Sign up to our newsletter
  • Twitter X logo

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.

University of Cambridge logo NRICH logo