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NRICH topics: Properties of numbers Square numbers

Resources tagged with: Square numbers

Content type:
Age range:
Challenge level:

There are 37 NRICH Mathematical resources connected to Square numbers, you may find related items under Properties of numbers.

Broad Topics > Properties of numbers > Square numbers

Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Always, Sometimes or Never? Number

Are these statements always true, sometimes true or never true?

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Filling the Gaps

Which numbers can we write as a sum of square numbers?

Age 14 to 16
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Generating Triples

Sets of integers like 3, 4, 5 are called Pythagorean Triples, because they could be the lengths of the sides of a right-angled triangle. Can you find any more?

Age 14 to 16
Challenge Level Yellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

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?

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Sticky Numbers

Can you arrange the numbers 1 to 17 in a row so that each adjacent pair adds up to a square number?

Age 11 to 14
Challenge Level Yellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Picture a Pyramid ...

Imagine a pyramid which is built in square layers of small cubes. If we number the cubes from the top, starting with 1, can you picture which cubes are directly below this first cube?

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Factors and Multiples Puzzle

Using your knowledge of the properties of numbers, can you fill all the squares on the board?

Age 11 to 14
Challenge Level Yellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Up and Down Staircases

One block is needed to make an up-and-down staircase, with one step up and one step down. How many blocks would be needed to build an up-and-down staircase with 5 steps up and 5 steps down?

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Odd Squares

Think of a number, square it and subtract your starting number. Is the number you're left with odd or even? How do the images help to explain this?

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Picturing Square Numbers

Square numbers can be represented as the sum of consecutive odd numbers. What is the sum of 1 + 3 + ..... + 149 + 151 + 153?

Age 11 to 14
Challenge Level Yellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Cycling Squares

Can you make a cycle of pairs that add to make a square number using all the numbers in the box below, once and once only?

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Two Primes Make One Square

Can you make square numbers by adding two prime numbers together?

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

One Wasn't Square

Mrs Morgan, the class's teacher, pinned numbers onto the backs of three children. Use the information to find out what the three numbers were.

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Fractions in a Box

The discs for this game are kept in a flat square box with a square hole for each. Use the information to find out how many discs of each colour there are in the box.

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Iff

Take a triangular number, multiply it by 8 and add 1. What is special about your answer? Can you prove it?

Age 14 to 18
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Odd Differences

The diagram illustrates the formula: 1 + 3 + 5 + ... + (2n - 1) = n² Use the diagram to show that any odd number is the difference of two squares.

Age 14 to 16
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Making Boxes

Cut differently-sized square corners from a square piece of paper to make boxes without lids. Do they all have the same volume?

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Swimming Pool Tiles

This activity creates an opportunity to explore all kinds of number-related patterns.

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Few and Far Between?

Can you find some Pythagorean Triples where the two smaller numbers differ by 1?

Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Robert's Spreadsheet

Robert noticed some interesting patterns when he highlighted square numbers in a spreadsheet. Can you prove that the patterns will continue?

Age 14 to 16
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Four Coloured Lights

Imagine a machine with four coloured lights which respond to different rules. Can you find the smallest possible number which will make all four colours light up?

Age 11 to 14
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Summing Squares

Discover a way to sum square numbers by building cuboids from small cubes. Can you picture how the sequence will grow?

Age 14 to 16
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Numbers as Shapes

Use cubes to continue making the numbers from 7 to 20. Are they sticks, rectangles or squares?

Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Triangles Within Squares

Can you find a rule which relates triangular numbers to square numbers?

Age 14 to 16
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Smith and Jones

Mr Smith and Mr Jones are two maths teachers. By asking questions, the answers to which may be right or wrong, Mr Jones is able to find the number of the house Mr Smith lives in... Or not!

Age 14 to 16
Challenge Level Yellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

A Square Deal

Complete the magic square using the numbers 1 to 25 once each. Each row, column and diagonal adds up to 65.

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Graphing Number Patterns

Does a graph of the triangular numbers cross a graph of the six times table? If so, where? Will a graph of the square numbers cross the times table too?

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Seven Square Numbers

Add the sum of the squares of four numbers between 10 and 20 to the sum of the squares of three numbers less than 6 to make the square of another, larger, number.

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Augustus' Age

In 1871 a mathematician called Augustus De Morgan died. De Morgan made a puzzling statement about his age. Can you discover which year De Morgan was born in?

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Special 24

Find another number that is one short of a square number and when you double it and add 1, the result is also a square number.

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

A Right Charlie

Can you use this information to work out Charlie's house number?

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Triangular Triples

Show that 8778, 10296 and 13530 are three triangular numbers and that they form a Pythagorean triple.

Age 14 to 16
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Digat

What is the value of the digit A in the sum below: [3(230 + A)]^2 = 49280A

Age 11 to 14
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Square Routes

How many four digit square numbers are composed of even numerals? What four digit square numbers can be reversed and become the square of another number?

Age 11 to 14
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Time of Birth

A woman was born in a year that was a square number, lived a square number of years and died in a year that was also a square number. When was she born?

Age 11 to 14
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Little Squares

Look at the squares in this problem. What does the next square look like? I draw a square with 81 little squares inside it. How long and how wide is my square?

Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level Yellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Cuisenaire Squares

These squares have been made from Cuisenaire rods. Can you describe the pattern? What would the next square look like?

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star

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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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