Logic problems are a useful way for students to engage in independent work. Working methodically through a series of steps to reach a tidy solution can be inherently satisfying, as evidenced by the widespread popularity of Sudoku puzzles. Logic puzzles usually have a single solution, and students can check back through the clues to ascertain whether their answer is correct.
A simple logic puzzle that requires deductive reasoning is “What’s My Number?”, in which students work out a mystery number by crossing out unsuitable digits in a table:
For example:
It’s a three-digit number.
The number is even.
The number is a multiple of 5.
The tens digit is an odd number.
The number is less than 500.
The hundreds digit is two more than the tens digit.
Students could also write their own set of clues for a partner, checking that they are sufficient to identify a single number before handing over their puzzle.
For a range of logic problems and other challenging tasks, see http://mathwire.com
For a list of other sites offering problem-solving challenges, see http://mathwire.com/problemsolving/pslinks.html
For Sudokus specifically designed for students, see http://www.dailysudoku.co.uk/sudoku/kids/
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