Creating and manipulating expressions and formulae

  • W Mates
    problem

    W Mates

    Age
    16 to 18
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3
    Show there are exactly 12 magic labellings of the Magic W using the numbers 1 to 9. Prove that for every labelling with a magic total T there is a corresponding labelling with a magic total 30-T.
  • Algebra from Geometry
    problem

    Algebra From Geometry

    Age
    11 to 16
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3
    Account of an investigation which starts from the area of an annulus and leads to the formula for the difference of two squares.
  • Chocolate 2010
    problem

    Chocolate 2010

    Age
    14 to 16
    Challenge level
    1 out of 3
    First of all, pick the number of times a week that you would like to eat chocolate. Multiply this number by 2...
  • More Polynomial Equations
    problem

    More Polynomial Equations

    Age
    16 to 18
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3
    Find relationships between the polynomials a, b and c which are polynomials in n giving the sums of the first n natural numbers, squares and cubes respectively.
  • How big?
    problem

    How Big?

    Age
    11 to 14
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3
    If the sides of the triangle in the diagram are 3, 4 and 5, what is the area of the shaded square?
  • Lower Bound
    problem

    Lower Bound

    Age
    14 to 16
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3
    What would you get if you continued this sequence of fraction sums? 1/2 + 2/1 = 2/3 + 3/2 = 3/4 + 4/3 =
  • Three four five
    problem

    Three Four Five

    Age
    14 to 16
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3
    Two semi-circles (each of radius 1/2) touch each other, and a semi-circle of radius 1 touches both of them. Find the radius of the circle which touches all three semi-circles.
  • The medieval octagon
    problem

    The Medieval Octagon

    Age
    14 to 16
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3
    Medieval stonemasons used a method to construct octagons using ruler and compasses... Is the octagon regular? Proof please.
  • Screen Shot
    problem

    Screen Shot

    Age
    14 to 16
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3
    A moveable screen slides along a mirrored corridor towards a centrally placed light source. A ray of light from that source is directed towards a wall of the corridor, which it strikes at 45 degrees before being reflected across to the opposite wall and so on until it hits the screen.
  • Relative Powers
    problem

    Relative Powers

    Age
    14 to 16
    Challenge level
    2 out of 3
    The square of a number is 12 more than the number itself. The cube of the number is 9 times the number. What is the number?