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Pebbles

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Primary curriculum
  • Problem
  • Getting Started
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A group of children from Manorfield Primary School, Stoney Stanton sent in lots of ideas:

S.B. and N.L. produced the following table of results:

Number Shape Number of pebbles on side Area of shape Perimeter of shape
1 Square 2x2 1cm$^2$ 4cm
2 Rectangle 2x3 2cm$^2$ 6cm
3 Square 3x3 4cm$^2$ 8cm
4 Rectangle 3x5 8cm$^2$ 12cm
5 Square 5x5 16cm$^2$ 16cm
6 Rectangle 5x9 32cm$^2$ 24cm
7 Square 9x9 64cm$^2$ 32cm
8 Rectangle 9x17 128cm$^2$ 48cm

PATTERNS AND FORMULAE
It was said in whole class discussion that the pattern for the size of the shapes was:
Squares: each side is the same length as the longest side of previous rectangle
Rectangle: one side is the same length as the side of the previous square, the other side is a "new length"

A.H and E.R also said:

The formula for the area = $2$ to the power of $(n-1)$.
The pattern for the new side of the rectangles is $+1$, $+2$, $+4$, $+8$, $+16$ ... (it doubles)
The pattern for the perimeter is $+2+2$, $+4+4$, $+8+8$, $+16+16$ ... (it doubles)

Now, Alice from St Thomas' Church of England Primary School, wrote;

On B (how many pebbles there are round the edges), the pattern starts on 4 adds 2 which makes  6 adds another 2 which is eight then adds 4 which makes 12 adds 4 again (16) adds 8  (24) adds 8 adds 16, and so on.
So it adds one thing twice then doubles the adding number and starts to do that again.

Amelia from NLCS sent in her ideas;

First double forward then double sideways and so on
Pebbles added: 2,3,6,10,20,36,72
Pebbles Outside: 4,6,8,12,16,24,32
Squares: 1,2,4,8,16,32,64,128

Well done all of you - you obviously worked hard on this problem.

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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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