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Same Length Trains

Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level Yellow star
Primary curriculum
  • Problem
  • Getting Started
  • Student Solutions
  • Teachers' Resources

Same Length Trains printable sheet

 

Matt and Katie were using Cuisenaire rods. They placed rods end to end to make 'trains'.
Here are their two trains:

 

What is the same about the two trains?
What is different?

You might have noticed:

  • the trains are the same length as each other
  • the top train uses rods that are all different (light green, black, pink and dark green)
  • the bottom train uses rods that are all the same (white)
  • there are four rods in the top train
  • there are 20 rods in the bottom train
  • the white rods are the shortest
  • the white rods are all the same length
  • each colour rod is a different length

Can you make some more trains the same length as Matt's and Katie's trains, each using rods of just one colour?
How many different trains can you make?

If you haven't got any Cuisenaire rods, you may like to use the interactivity below to try out your ideas.

 

You may be interested in the other problems in our Cuisenaire Feature.

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  • Back to The Problem with Problem Solving

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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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