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Working Systematically

Working Systematically

The tasks in this feature are designed to encourage children to work systematically - a valuable tool frequently used by mathematicians.  We would love to receive solutions from your learners.  Click the 'Submit a solution' link on any live problem to find out the closing date.

Encouraging Primary Children to Work Systematically 
Age 3 to 11

This article for primary teachers suggests ways in which to help children become better at working systematically.

Sort the Street 
Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level Yellow star

Sort the houses in my street into different groups. Can you do it in any other ways?

Two Dice 
Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level Yellow star

Find all the numbers that can be made by adding the dots on two dice.

Three Ball Line Up 
Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star

Use the interactivity to help get a feel for this problem and to find out all the possible ways the balls could land.

Growing Garlic 
Age 5 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow star

Ben and his mum are planting garlic. Can you find out how many cloves of garlic they might have had?

A Mixed-up Clock 
Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow star

There is a clock-face where the numbers have become all mixed up. Can you find out where all the numbers have got to from these ten statements?

Factor Lines 
Age 7 to 14
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star

Arrange the four number cards on the grid, according to the rules, to make a diagonal, vertical or horizontal line.

Sealed Solution 
Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star

Ten cards are put into five envelopes so that there are two cards in each envelope. The sum of the numbers inside it is written on each envelope. What numbers could be inside the envelopes?

Related

  • Finding All Possibilities Lower Primary
  • Finding All Possibilities Upper Primary
  • Ordered Ways of Working Lower Primary
  • Ordered Ways of Working Upper Primary
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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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