Maths with a Mouse - Guessing and Checking

Like a real superhero, this skill has many names and identities. Some call it guessing and checking; many call it trial and error; others call it trial and improvement. Sometimes, I even give it a special name - the Goldilocks method: too large, too small, just right!

Brie-Anna de Mouse, star of Maths with a Mouse

ACTIVITY TIME

Fifteen CardsCan you use the information to find out which cards I have used?

Only one thing is better than solving puzzles - moving number cards around to find the solution. Let the guessing and checking begin!

(Helpfully, Nrich has a template with the number that can be printed)

Sealed SolutionTen cards are put into five envelopes so that there are two cards in each envelope. The sum of the numbers inside it is written on each envelope. What numbers could be inside the envelopes?

If you have already printed off some number cards (or made your own), why not try Sealed Solution also from NRich. What's in the envelopes? Can you work it out? Guessing and checking is just one of the skills that will help you in this task.

Four Colours is a great activity from NRich and can be made even better by using those magical little multilink cubes that you only find in primary schools! Everything is better with those special little cubes!

Olympic RingsArrange the digits one to nine to make a number which is divisible in the way described.

Olympic Rings is a great puzzle from Transum (with three level to enjoy/suffer) and is best completed online. Use those careful guessing and checking skills and soon you might discover some clues to help solve the challenges.

Cycling SquaresCan you make a cycle of pairs that add to make a square number using all the numbers in the box below, once and once only?

Hopefully, you will have a few problem solving strategies to attempt Cycling Squares. Find it difficult and you might be going around in circles; find a solution and you will be going around in squares! (A clever little maths joke for you and if you don't find it funny, it's because you are a stinky p___t_!

Factor Tree ChallengesCan you determine the unique digits that will complete these factor trees?

Prime Factor Grids from Mathsbot are superb puzzles for developing your guessing and checking skills. You might also want to use working backwards as well as applying your knowledge of multiples, factors and divisibility rules - so many skills from which to choose!

With the ability to vary the number of rows, columns and even the range of prime factors, this puzzle can challenge every single mathematician and every single mousématician too!

Welcome to some of worst car parks in the world. Who allowed the cars to park this way and how did anyone get in or out of their actual car! You need to sort this mess out and get your car out of there!