Working Systematically - Upper Primary
Finding All Possibilities Upper Primary
These activities focus on finding all possible solutions so if you work in a systematic way, you won't leave any out.
Ordered Ways of Working Upper Primary
These activities lend themselves to systematic working in the sense that it helps if you have an ordered approach.
Sitting Round the Party Tables
Sweets are given out to party-goers in a particular way. Investigate the total number of sweets received by people sitting in different positions.
Beads and Bags
How could you put these three beads into bags? How many different ways can you do it? How could you record what you've done?
Half Time
What could the half time scores have been in these Olympic hockey matches?
School Fair Necklaces
How many possible symmetrical necklaces can you find? How do you know you've found them all?
Nine-pin Triangles
How many different triangles can you make on a circular pegboard that has nine pegs?
What Do You Need?
Four of these clues are needed to find the chosen number on this grid and four are true but do nothing to help in finding the number. Can you sort out the clues and find the number?
A Mixed-up Clock
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?
Fifteen Cards
Can you use the information to find out which cards I have used?
Plenty of Pens
Amy's mum had given her £2.50 to spend. She bought four times as many pens as pencils and was given 40p change. How many of each did she buy?
Magic Vs
Can you put the numbers 1-5 in the V shape so that both 'arms' have the same total?
Buying a Balloon
Lolla bought a balloon at the circus. She gave the clown six coins to pay for it. What could Lolla have paid for the balloon?
Trebling
Can you replace the letters with numbers? Is there only one solution in each case?
A Square of Numbers
Can you put the numbers 1 to 8 into the circles so that the four calculations are correct?
First Connect Three
Add or subtract the two numbers on the spinners and try to complete a row of three. Are there some numbers that are good to aim for?
Finding Fifteen
Tim had nine cards each with a different number from 1 to 9 on it. How could he have put them into three piles so that the total in each pile was 15?
Maze 100
Can you go through this maze so that the numbers you pass add to exactly 100?
Make 37
Four bags contain a large number of 1s, 3s, 5s and 7s. Can you pick any ten numbers from the bags so that their total is 37?
All the Digits
This multiplication uses each of the digits 0 - 9 once and once only. Using the information given, can you replace the stars in the calculation with figures?
Reach 100
Choose four different digits from 1-9 and put one in each box so that the resulting four two-digit numbers add to a total of 100.
Light the Lights Again
Each light in this interactivity turns on according to a rule. What happens when you enter different numbers? Can you find the smallest number that lights up all four lights?
This Pied Piper of Hamelin
Investigate the different numbers of people and rats there could have been if you know how many legs there are altogether!
Two Primes Make One Square
Can you make square numbers by adding two prime numbers together?
Sealed Solution
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?
Six Ten Total
This challenge combines addition, multiplication, perseverance and even proof.
Prison Cells
There are 78 prisoners in a square cell block of twelve cells. The clever prison warder arranged them so there were 25 along each wall of the prison block. How did he do it?
Six Numbered Cubes
This task combines spatial awareness with addition and multiplication.
Button-up Some More
How many ways can you find to do up all four buttons on my coat? How about if I had five buttons? Six ...?
Curious Number
Can you order the digits from 1-3 to make a number which is divisible by 3 so when the last digit is removed it becomes a 2-figure number divisible by 2, and so on?
Counting Cards
A magician took a suit of thirteen cards and held them in his hand face down. Every card he revealed had the same value as the one he had just finished spelling. How did this work?
Dice in a Corner
How could you arrange at least two dice in a stack so that the total of the visible spots is 18?
5 on the Clock
On a digital clock showing 24 hour time, over a whole day, how many times does a 5 appear? Is it the same number for a 12 hour clock over a whole day?
Factor Lines
Arrange the four number cards on the grid, according to the rules, to make a diagonal, vertical or horizontal line.
Inky Cube
This cube has ink on each face which leaves marks on paper as it is rolled. Can you work out what is on each face and the route it has taken?
First Connect Three for Two
First Connect Three game for an adult and child. Use the dice numbers and either addition or subtraction to get three numbers in a straight line.
Cubes Here and There
How many shapes can you build from three red and two green cubes? Can you use what you've found out to predict the number for four red and two green?
The Dice Train
This dice train has been made using specific rules. How many different trains can you make?
Cover the Tray
These practical challenges are all about making a 'tray' and covering it with paper.
Tea Cups
Place the 16 different combinations of cup/saucer in this 4 by 4 arrangement so that no row or column contains more than one cup or saucer of the same colour.