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The Big Cheese

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow star
  • Problem
  • Getting Started
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Chloe, Emily, Rebecca, Scarlett, Chloe, Alana, Isobel, Shauna and Joel from Griffithstown Primary School sent in various solutions that were all very interesting and showed hard work. Here is a summary taken from their suggestions.


I found out that we can share the $13$ slices of the big cheese between $5$ people. This is how we did it:
The first person had a slice of cheese that was $25$cm$^2$.
The second person had $3$ slices of cheese that was $20$cm$^2$ + $4$cm$^2$ + $1$cm$^2$ = $25$cm$^2$.
The third person had $5$ slices of cheese that was $12$cm$^2$ + $6$cm$^2$ + $4$cm$^2$ + $2$cm$^2$ + $1$cm$^2$= $25$cm$^2$.
The fourth person had $2$ slices of cheese that was $16$cm$^2$ + $9$cm$^2$ = $25$cm$^2$.
The fifth person had $2$ slices of cheese that was $16$cm$^2$ + $9$cm$^2$ = $25$cm$^2$.
So everybody had an equal share of cheese but in different sizes.

Cherian from Quarry Bay School sent in the following;


Solution for the third investigation for The Big Cheese. My solution:
First you imagine the two $1$ by $1$ by $1$ cubes put on top of each other.
Then you put the $1$ by $1$ by $2$ layer beside the other one.
After that, put another $1$ by $1$ by $2$ layer in front of it, so that you will have a $2$ by $2$ by $2$ cube.
Now you have to put $2$ by $2$ by $1$ layer on top of it.
Then you put $2$ by $3$ by $1$ layer on the left side.
After that you put a $3$ by $3$ by $1$ layer behind it.
Then you put another one on your cube.
Now you put a $3$ by $4$ by $1$ layer beside it.
Then put a $4$ by $4$ by $1$ layer behind it.
Now you have a $4$ by $4$ by $4$ cube.
After that you put a $4$ by $4$ by $4$ layer on top of it.
Then put a $4$ by $5$ by $1$ layer beside it.
Now put a $5$ by $5$ by $5$ layer behind it, so now you have a $5$ by $5$ by $5$ cube!!

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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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