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Problem solving activities

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Relevant and up-to-date teaching resources are being moved to Tāhūrangi (tahurangi.education.govt.nz). 
When all identified resources have been successfully moved, this website will close. We expect this to be in June 2024. 
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For more information visit https://tahurangi.education.govt.nz/updates-to-nzmaths

Problems for students to solve, accompanied by a suggested teaching sequence, extensions to the problem, and the problem’s solution.

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Adding ten tiles I

Level Five
Number and Algebra
Problem solving activities
This problem solving activity has a number focus.
  • Use known numbers facts with digits to solve a problem.
  • Use a systematic approach to get the number of ways that four numbers can add to 9.
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The five number game

Level Five
Number and Algebra
Problem solving activities
This problem solving activity has a number focus.
  • Explain what it means to square number.
  • Explain what it means to cube a number.
  • Define prime numbers using their everyday language.
  • Devise and use problem solving strategies (use equipment).
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Powers of seven

Level Five
Number and Algebra
Problem solving activities
This problem solving activity has a number focus.
  • Solve problems that involve finding powers of a number.
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The Escape

Level Four
Number and Algebra
Problem solving activities
This problem solving activity has a number focus.
  • Choose strategies for investigating number problems.
  • Find a common multiple of a group of numbers.
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More Dartboards

Level Four
Number and Algebra
Problem solving activities
This problem solving activity has a number focus.
  • Identify and describe patterns in numbers.
  • Use expressions and words to describe number patterns.
  • Work systematically to find the possible outcomes.
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Dartboards

Level Four
Number and Algebra
Problem solving activities
This problem solving activity has a number focus.
  • Identify and describe patterns in numbers.
  • Use expressions and words to describe number patterns.
  • Devise and use problem solving strategies to explore situations mathematically (be systematic).
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$4 and $7 Stamps

Level Four
Number and Algebra
Problem solving activities
This problem solving activity has a number focus.
  • Describe what it means for a sequence to carry on infinitely.
  • Look for patterns using linear combinations of 4 and 7.
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$5 and $9 Stamps

Level Four
Number and Algebra
Problem solving activities
This problem solving activity has a number focus.
  • Describe what it means for a sequence to carry on infinitely.
  • Look for patterns in linear combinations of numbers.
  • Devise and use problem solving strategies (guess and check, make a table, look for patterns).
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Negative magic squares

Level Four
Number and Algebra
Problem solving activities
This problem solving activity has a number focus.
  • Perform addition with negative numbers.
  • Know the idea of, and be able to construct, magic squares.
  • Devise and use problem solving strategies to explore situations mathematically (be systematic).
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Fractional Magic Squares

Level Four
Number and Algebra
Problem solving activities
This problem solving activity has a number focus.
  • Perform addition with fractions.
  • Know the idea of, and be able to construct, magic squares.
  • Devise and use problem solving strategies to explore situations mathematically (be systematic).