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  • Early Years Foundation Stage

Tom Learns to Cook

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow star
  • Problem
  • Getting Started
  • Student Solutions
  • Teachers' Resources


Tom has decided that the time has come - if he wants to eat, he's going to have to learn to cook.  His favourite meal is poached eggs and baked beans on toast, so he asks his friend Alison to show him how to make it.

Alison wants to make sure that she doesn't end up cooking it for him, so rather than showing him, she gives him a set of instruction cards.  

All Tom has to do is to put them in the right order, then follow the instructions.

Put the cards in the right order, and see what time Tom should get started, if he wants his supper to be ready by 7pm.

  • When should he put the water onto boil for the eggs?
  • When should he put the toast on?
  • When should he put the beans on?
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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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