MEP: Demonstration Project Y9B, Unit 11

UNIT 11 Algebraic Manipulation Activities

Activities

11.1 Sums in Squares

11.2 Areas of Rectangles
11.3 Horseshoes
11.4 Flower Beds
Notes and Solutions (2 pages)

© The Gatsby Charitable Foundation

MEP: Demonstration Project Y9B, Unit 11

ACTIVITY 11.1 Sums in Squares

1. Draw a 2 × 2 square on 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
the number grid like the
one shown. Add up the
4 numbers in the square
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
and record your results
in a table as shown
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
below.
31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
Repeat for several 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
other squares.
51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60
61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70
71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80
81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90
91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100

Smallest Number in Total of the Four Largest Number in

Square (x) Numbers (T) Square (y)

34 158 45

2. Show that the formula T = 4 x + 22 is true for each of your starting numbers, x.

3. Explain why the formula will always work.

4. Determine a formula for T in terms of y.

Extension
Repeat for a 3 × 3 square and for a 4 × 4 square.

© The Gatsby Charitable Foundation

MEP: Demonstration Project Y9B, Unit 11

ACTIVITY 11.2 Areas of Rectangles

Calculate the area of each of the rectangles by calculating the area of each part:
A. B.
7 cm 2 cm 5 cm x cm
1 cm

3 cm
4 cm

C. D.
4 cm x
3x 2
x

y
3 cm

E. F.
2x 6
6x 2
3x
x

y 5

G.
2x 8

© The Gatsby Charitable Foundation

MEP: Demonstration Project Y9B, Unit 11

ACTIVITY 11.3 Horseshoes

Farriers can buy ready-made horseshoes, but many make their own so that the fit is better.
The horseshoe is made up from a straight strip of iron which is forged into the familiar
horseshoe shape.

The problem that the farrier has to solve is

to determine the length of iron (l) needed
to make the appropriate sized shoe.

Two formulae are commonly used:

A l = 2w + 2
B l = w + d + 1.5
where w is the width of the shoe, in inches,
and d is the diagonal measured in inches
from the toe to the heel, as shown.

Data for Horseshoes

1. Determine the length of iron required to
Horse Width (w) Diagonal (d)
shoe each horse using
Crystal 5.15 5.50 (a) formula A, (b) formula B.
Honey 5.25 5.75 Comparing the lengths required by each
Frosty 5.50 5.80
formula, what do you notice?

William 5.75 6.00

2. What is the condition on d and w which
Smudger 6.00 6.40 ensures that the two formula are the same?

3. The cost of the shoe is directly related to the length of iron, l, used. If Crystal has
a new set of horseshoes 8 times a year, what saving is made in iron using formula B
rather than formula A? What is the percentage saving?

Ready-made shoes often use 8 nail holes symmetrically placed so that they can be used on
either foot, but a handmade shoe is made specifically for the left or right foot, with 4 nails
on the outside half and 3 on the inside half.

4. The nails for Honey's front left shoe

are shown opposite, with distances
between them as illustrated.
Determine the appropriate values
to take for x and y.

© The Gatsby Charitable Foundation

MEP: Demonstration Project Y9B, Unit 11

ACTIVITY 11.4 Flower Beds

KEY
Flower bed

Paving slab

The council wish to create a long display made up of 100 flower beds each surrounded with
hexagonal paving slabs, according to the pattern shown above. (In this pattern 18 slabs
surround 4 flower beds.)

1. How many slabs will be needed?

2. Determine a formula that the council can use to decide the number of slabs needed for
any number of flower beds.

Extensions
There are many other ways of surrounding flower beds with hexagonal paving slabs.

1. Find formulae for the number of slabs needed for configurations of each of the
layouts below, both of which have n hexagonal flower beds.
(a) (b)

2. Invent your own examples and find general formulae for the number of slabs needed
for any number of them.

© The Gatsby Charitable Foundation