Some Problems to try (Solutions for some foll'ow)

1. The Triangular Garden Plot

Gordon has a tIiangular garden plot. When planting~ he plants one com seed in the first
row. In the second row he plants three com seeds. In the third row he plants five com
seeds and so on ..

How many com seeds does Gordon plant in the twelfth row?
How tnany cor.nseeds does he plant in the first twelve (12) rows?

Ask and solve other questions about the nmnber of seeds in Gordon's garden.

How many com seed does he plant in the nth row?

2. How Inany triangles?

An intege.r triangle is a triangle with integer sides.

There are only three integer triangles with perimeter 9

(see the diagr~ms opPOsit(;})

How many integer triangles are there with perimeter 10?

Ask and solve some other questions about numbers of

integer triangles With a given perimeter.

How many integer triani1es are there with petimeter 01

3. TakillgCounters
, A game: From a pile of counters 2 players altetnately take any number of counters.
There are two other rules a) the first player cannot take the whole pile and
b) a player does not take more than twice the last number of COWlters
. " taken. The player taking the last CQU,nterwins.

Investigate ways of playing with a pile of 15 counters. What is the best strategy for each
player?

Explore what happens in the game with different numbers of counters.

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4. Growing Hexagons - perimeters and areas

.. _. ~ •....• -. ' '- .

side = 1 unit side = 2 units side = 3-units

perimeter = 6 units perimeter = 12 units perimeter == ? units .'
area = 6 triangular units area = 24 units area = ? units

What are the perimeter and the area for a hexagon of side 5 units?
,
What are the perimeters and areas for larger hexagons? Can you find the perimeter of a
hexagon of side 50 units? The area of a hexagon' of side 100units?

Try to find a formula for the perimeter of any hexagon.

What is the formula for the area of a hexagon of side n?

5. Stamps
You have got $5 and $7 stamps only. It is possible to post a parcel costing $39
(5+5+5+5+5+7+7) but you cannot put the correct amO\.Ult on a parcel ifit costs $23.

hlvestigate the parcel costs which you can make exactly with $Sand $7 stamps.
Is there a biggest parcel that you cannot post with the exact postage?

Make up a stamp question of your own

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6. AtTENtion
I
Try to find a rule for finding the perfect squares of numbers which end in 5.

Do these multiplications
lS2=ISx 15 = 252=25x25= 452 == 552:
Do you see a pattern? If so, predict 952

Does it work for large numbers ending in 5? How can you be sure?

Look at the product of numbers related to those ending inS for example 14x16, 24x26.etc
Can you prec1icfwhat 94x96 will be?
Other products which you could explore - 33x37, 53x57, .,. others?

7. Making polygons with the seven TANGRAM pieces

Use a set of pieces like those below to do the following:

1) Use just two pieces to make a triangle, a parallelogram, a square or a rectangle,

. and a trapezium
2) .'Now try to make the same shapes using exactly three pieces
3) How about using 4 or 5 pieces?
4) Can you make any polygons using 6 or 7 pieces? What are their names?

__. __ .. __ ._
..•._._..•__ . __ ~.,.--:...•._.---:," ..--::-:-i"" ,"-,- .•.•..
---- •..-.--- ...-.-- ---- ...- ..------- _
8. The Frog ~roblem

[-

3 black frogs (e) and 3 white frogs (0) are sitting on squares as shown.

The aim is to get the f.rogs to move so that the black frogs change places with the white
frogs ie black frogs move to the right and white frogs to the left.

Frogs can only mo\re.in the following ways:

(1) by sliding alo~g into an adjacent empty space.
(2) by jumping over a frog afthe opposite colour into an empty-space.

What is the minimum m.unber of mov~s ne.cessary?

Suppose there are more frogs on each side- how many moves then?

Other questions that"yoll might explore?

Starting point

It is fun (and helpful f) to start with a physical demonstration of the problem by using
students on chairs to represent the frogs. Students move (jumps or slides). somebody
counts the number of moves, all gain familiarity with the possibilities and the difficulties.
Small groups ClUt now work with say ooins on a grid. Find the minimum Dumber of
movements Decessary for the 3 white frogs to switeh position with tile 3 black frogs.

After finding the'IDinimum number of movements for the 3 frogs, one could look at
smaller cases and tabulate the results. For example where there is only 1 frog each side.

Now look at situations wi.th 2 frogs each side. Then perhaps 4 trogs etc

Allow plenty of lime to explt11't!these situ.trdons·so thaJplllterns in the nacweme.nts and patterns jn the
numbers can be observed.

9. Airline luggage

Airline tegulatJon$ state: "Passengers can take any piece of luggage where the sum of the

3 dimensions (len~ widtb and height) do not exceed lOSins(or 2.70111)" Investigate the·

shapes ofluggage which are possible.

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10. Perimeters of sbapes after removing and refixing squares

Start with a square grid. Here is a 4x4 square, Remove a square of side one less than the

original (here a 3x3 square) and move it to a new position attached to one side of the

original shape. What is the perimeter of the new shape?

_. ,.-- --- .--.-------.----.-------.--.-------.- .. ---- _-~._---_.- ---_. -------

...

What is the perimeter if we start with a 5x5 square? a 6x6 square? a nxn square?

.
(In each case the square to be removed is of side I less than the original square.)

11 Number chains.

Form a number chain in the following way:

Start with any whole number. !fit is even, divide by 2, ifit is odd, multiply by 3 and add

1. Carry out the same

•... ~
process on the result. Form a chain. What happens? Explore the

outcome for different starting numbers.

Example: 10'....=> 5 I.=> 16 => 8 => 4 => 2 => 1

13,=> 40=>? =>