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For younger learners

  • Early Years Foundation Stage

Stick at It!

Stick at it!

When you get stuck, what strategies do you use to get unstuck? These problems will require some resilience and perseverance, so rise to the challenge, make good use of our hints, and see where determination can get you!

Same Length 
Age 11 to 16
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star

Construct two equilateral triangles on a straight line. There are two lengths that look the same - can you prove it?

Impossible Picture? 
Age 14 to 16
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star

Under what circumstances can you rearrange a big square to make three smaller squares?

Shopping Basket 
Age 11 to 16
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow starYellow star

The items in the shopping basket add and multiply to give the same amount. What could their prices be?

Iff 
Age 14 to 18
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star

Take a triangular number, multiply it by 8 and add 1. What is special about your answer? Can you prove it?

What Does it Feel Like to Do Maths? 
Age 11 to 18

Andrew Wiles, who famously proved Fermat's Last Theorem, talks about being a mathematician and dealing with being stuck.

Related

  • Inverse Problems
  • Get Stuck...in

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Factorise This!

Explore quadratics and the power of factorisation

Quadratic Queries

Can you make sense of these questions about quadratics?

Area Intrigue

These problems invite you to think about area in unusual ways.

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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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