Mathematical challenges

for able pupils

Year 5 A Counting, partitioning and

calculating
 Three digits
Imagine you have 25 beads. You have to make a
three-digit number on an abacus.
You must use all 25 beads for each number you
make.

Hundreds Tens Units

How many different three-digit numbers

can you make?
Write them in order.
Learning Objective:
• Solve mathematical problems or puzzles.
• Know what each digit represents.
• Order a set of whole numbers.
 Solution to Three digits

You can make six different numbers.

In order, the numbers are:

799, 889, 898, 979, 988, 997.

 Joins
Join any four numbers.
Find their total.
Joins can go up, down or
8 15 6 9
sideways, but not
diagonally.
14 13 18 20
The score shown is
8 + 15 + 6 + 18 = 47. 18 17 2 5
Find the highest possible
score. 3 15 19 6
Find the lowest possible
score.

Learning Objective:
• Solve mathematical problems or puzzles.
• Add and subtract two-digit numbers mentally.
 Joins
Try joining five numbers.
8 15 6 9
Find their total.
Joins can go up, down or 14 13 18 20
sideways, but not
diagonally.
18 17 2 5
Find the highest
possible score.
3 15 19 6
Find the lowest
possible score.

Learning Objective:
• Solve mathematical problems or puzzles.
• Add and subtract two-digit numbers mentally.
 Joins
Try joining five numbers.
8 15 6 9
Now try joining five
numbers using only 14 13 18 20
diagonal joins.

Find the highest

18 17 2 5
possible score.
3 15 19 6
Find the lowest
possible score.

Learning Objective:
• Solve mathematical problems or puzzles.
• Add and subtract two-digit numbers mentally.
 Solution to Joins
Using four numbers:
the highest score is 19 + 15 + 17 + 18 = 69,
the lowest score is 6 + 5 + 2 + 17 = 30.

Using five numbers:

the highest is 20 + 18 + 13 + 17 + 18 = 86,
the lowest is 6 + 18 + 2 + 5 + 6 = 37.

Using five numbers and diagonal joins:

the highest is 19 + 17 + 14 + 15 + 18 = 83,
the lowest is 13 + 6 + 20 + 2 + 6 = 47.

Learning Objective:
• Solve mathematical problems or puzzles.
• Add and subtract two-digit numbers mentally.
 Age old problems

1. My age this year is

a multiple of 8.
Next year it will be a
multiple of 7.
How old am I?

Learning Objective:
• Solve mathematical problems or puzzles.
• Know multiplication facts to 10 x 10.
• Recognise square and cube numbers.
 Age old problems
2. Last year my age was
a square number.
Next year it will be a
cube number.
How
How long
oldmust
am I?I wait
until my age is both
a square number and a
cube?

Learning Objective:
• Solve mathematical problems or puzzles.
• Know multiplication facts to 10 x 10.
• Recognise square and cube numbers.
 Age old problems
3. My Mum was 27 when I
was born.

8 years ago she was twice

as old as I shall be in 5
years’ time.

How old am I now?

Learning Objective:
• Solve mathematical problems or puzzles.
• Know multiplication facts to 10 x 10.
• Recognise square and cube numbers.
 Solution to age old problems
1. I am 48 years old (or
possibly 104).

2. I am now 26 years
old. In 38 years’
time, when I am 64, my
age will be both
a square number and a
cube.

3. I am 9 years old now.

Learning Objective:
• Solve mathematical problems or puzzles.
• Know multiplication facts to 10 x 10.
• Recognise square and cube numbers.
 Make five numbers

Take ten cards numbered 0 to 9.

Each time use all ten cards.

Arrange the cards to make:
Make
Five
Five
Five up more
numbers
numbers
prime problems
that
numbers
that are to use
aremultiples
multiples ofall
of 3.
7 ten cards to make five special
numbers.
Learning Objective:
• Solve mathematical problems or puzzles.
• Know 3 and 7 times tables.
• Recognise prime numbers.
 Solution to make five numbers

For example:
a. 12, 39, 45, 60, 78.
b. 7, 42, 63, 98, 105.
c. 5, 23, 67, 89, 401.

There are other solutions.

Learning Objective:
• Solve mathematical problems or puzzles.
• Know 3 and 7 times tables.
• Recognise prime numbers.
 Zids and Zods

Zids have 4 spots.

Zods have 9 spots.
Altogether some Zids and Zods have 48 spots.
How many Zids are there?
How many Zods?
Learning Objective:
• Solve mathematical problems or puzzles.
• Know multiplication facts to 10 x 10.
• Add two-digit numbers mentally.
 Zids and Zods

What Sims have 5 spots

and Sams have 7 spots and
there are 140 spots
altogether?

Find as many solutions as you can.

Learning Objective:
• Solve mathematical problems or puzzles.
• Know multiplication facts to 10 x 10.
• Add two-digit numbers mentally.
 Solution to Zids and Zods

1. There are 3 Zids with 4 spots and 4 Zods with

9 spots.
2. If Sims have 5 spots and Sams have 7 spots,
the possible ways of making 140 are:
28 Sims;
21 Sims and 5 Sams;
14 Sims and 10 Sams;
7 Sims and 15 Sams;
20 Sams.
Learning Objective:
• Solve mathematical problems or puzzles.
• Know multiplication facts to 10 x 10.
• Add two-digit numbers mentally.
 Maze
Start with zero.
Find a route from ‘Start’ to
‘End’ that totals 100
exactly.

Which route has the

highest total?

Which has the lowest

total?
Now try some different
starting numbers.
Learning Objective:
• Solve mathematical problems or puzzles.
• Add and subtract two-digit numbers mentally.
• Multiply and divide by single-digit numbers.
 Solution to Maze problem
There are two routes that total 100 exactly:
+ 6 x 7 – 6 x 3 – 8 = 100
+ 9 x 7 ÷ 3 x 5 – 5 = 100

The route giving the highest total is:

+ 9 x 7 – 6 x 7 – 8 = 391

The route giving the lowest total is:

+ 6 x 7 ÷ 3 x 3 – 8 = 34
Learning Objective:
• Solve mathematical problems or puzzles.
• Add and subtract two-digit numbers mentally.
• Multiply and divide by single-digit numbers.
The end,thank you!
 References and additional resources.
The questions from this PowerPoint came from:
Mathematical challenges for able pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2
Corporate writer was Department for Education and Employment and it is produced under a © Crown copyright 2000

Thank You
PowerPoint template published by www.ksosoft.com

These Mental Maths challenges can be found as a PDF file at :

http://www.edu.dudley.gov.uk/numeracy/problem_solving/Mathematical%20Challenges%20Book.pdf

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
(http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/)

All images used in this PowerPoint was found at the free Public Domain Clip Art site. (https://openclipart.org/)
These units were organised using advice given at:
http://www.edu.dudley.gov.uk/numeracy/problem_solving/Challenges%20and%20Blocks.doc