Maths investigations –

‘Reasoning and investigating about mathematics itself’

Foundation Stage & Key Stage 1

Numbers and the number system

Topic: Counting, properties of numbers and number sequences

 You need: cubes or counters

• 42, 38, 45, 63, 50
• Choose a number from above.
• Count out exactly that number of cubes or counters
• Group them in 10s and 1s.
• Choose numbers of your own.
• Can you predict how many groups of 10 there will be in each number?

 You need: 30 interlocking cubes

• 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 26, 27
• Take 10 cubes and use them to build 2 towers the same.
• Pick any number above.
• Predict whether or not you can build 2 towers the same size using that number of cubes?
• Choose numbers of your own.
• What do you notice?

 You need: 1 – 100 square

• Colour the multiples of 3 on the number square.
• What patterns do you notice?
• Repeat colouring the multiples of 5.

 243, 244, 531

• Are these numbers odd or even? How can you tell?

 You need: a pile of interlocking cubes

• Make the following shapes.

 
  
•    
   
• Make 4 shapes that grow the same way.
• Write the number of cubes in each shape.
• What would the next number be? The 10th number?
• Repeat for the following shapes:
  
  


 
  
  
• Now make your own shape. Add to it 4 times to see how it grows. Write the number of cubes in each shape.
What would the next number be? The 10th number?

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 Maths investigations –
‘Reasoning and investigating about mathematics itself’
Foundation Stage & Key Stage 1

 You need: a blank 0 – 30 number line, 2 different coloured pencils

• Start the number line at 0.
• Write all the multiples of 5 in one colour.
• Write all the multiples of 2 in another colour.
• Which numbers have you written in both colours?
• What other numbers can you think of that are multiples of 2 and 5? What about 2 and 10 / 5 and 10 / 2, 5 and 10?

 99, 66, 77, 24, 23, 90, 51, 28, 46, 86, 53, 100, 78, 32
• Start at 6 and count on in 2s. Which of the numbers above did you say?
• Start at 10 and count on in 5s. Which of the numbers above did you say?
• Start at 3 and count on in 3s. Which of the numbers above did you say?
• Start at 6 and count on in 4s. Which of the numbers above did you say?
• Start at 7 and count on in 6s. Which of the numbers above did you say?
• Can you predict which of the numbers you will say without counting on?

 You need: squared paper, counter that fit on the squares

• Use the counters to make a square on the squared paper, e.g.  
 

• Put more counters on to make the next size square, e.g.   

• Record the number of extra counters.   
• Continue building squares.   
• th th th th
How many counters with the 4 / 7 / 10 / 12 new square have?
• What if…you started with a rectangle instead of a square?

 Complete the table below.

Multiple of 5 Multiple of 50
5 50
10
15
20

• Look at the numbers in the table.

• What patterns do you see?

Topic: Place value and ordering

 7, 3, 2, 9, 1
• How many different two-digit numbers can you make using the digits above?
• Each number can only be used once in your number.
• Write you numbers in order smallest to largest.
• Have you missed any number? How do you know? What are they?

 7, 3, 8
• Write 6 different 3-digit numbers using these digits.
• Which is the smallest / largest?
• Which numbers are between 690 and 780 / 379 and 730?

 You need: the following place value cards: 300, 500, 60, 30, 2, 7
• Choose 2 or 3 place value cards at a time.
• Join them to make a number.
• How many different numbers can you make?

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 Maths investigations –
‘Reasoning and investigating about mathematics itself’
Foundation Stage & Key Stage 1

 You need: 0 – 9 dice

• Work with a partner.
• Take turns to roll the dice 3 times.
• After each roll write down the digit
• Use your 3 digits to make as many 3-digit numbers as you can.

 You have 20 squares and 20 circles.

• A patterns begins like this: 
• The patterns continues until all 20 squares and 20 circles have been used.
• What shape is 7th / 18th / 30th / 38th …in the pattern?

Topic: Estimating and rounding

 You need: a sheet of dotty paper each.

• Tear your dotty sheet of paper into 6 different sized shapes.
• Estimate the number of dots on each one.
• Write your estimate on the back.
• Swap your pieces with your partner.
• Estimate the number of dots.
• Write your estimate on the back.
• Count the dots on each piece. Who was closer?

Topic: Fractions

 You need: 20 counters

• Find half of 10 / 12 / 14 …
• What patterns do you notice?

 You need: 40 counters

• Find one quarter of 12 / 16 / 20 …
• What patterns do you notice?

 How many ways can you divide these shapes into 2 equal parts?

 How many ways can you divide these shapes into 4 equal parts?

 

• The shape above is ½ a rectangle.
• How many squares in the whole rectangle?

 
• The shape above is ¼ of a rectangle.
• How many squares in the whole rectangle?

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 Maths investigations –
‘Reasoning and investigating about mathematics itself’
Foundation Stage & Key Stage 1

 8/10, 1/10, 7/10, 2/10, 9/10, 3/10, 5/10, 6/10, 4/10,

• Which 2 fractions make a whole? How many different ways can you find?
• Which 3 fractions make a whole? How many different ways can you find?
• Which 2 fractions make a half? How many different ways can you find?

 You need: red, blue, green and yellow interlocking cubes.

• Join 24 cubes together.
• What fraction of your shape is red / blue / green / yellow?
• How many of your cubes are red / blue / green / yellow?
• What if… you just used red, blue and green cubes?

Calculations

Topic: Addition and subtraction

 How many addition sums can you write with an answer of 6 / 10 / 12…100?

 Write 3 numbers that have a total of 20.

• How many different ways can you think of?
• Try 10 / 16 / 25…100

 20, 12, 6, 10, 7, 15, 14, 4, 11, 8, 13, 9

• Choose a number from above.
• Double your number and add one.
• Double your number and take one away.
• What do you notice about your numbers?

 Write subtraction sentences with the answer of 7 / 10 / 12 / 20…100.

• How many different number sentences can you think of?

 Set A: 21, 25, 17, 34 Set B: + 9 , + 11, – 9, – 11

• Choose a number from Set A and an operation and number from Set B.
• How many different calculations can you make?
• Repeat for the following sets of numbers: Set A: 38, 27, 41, 56 Set B: + 19 , + 21, – 19, – 21

 Using the numbers 5, 6 and 11, how many different calculations can you make?
• Use other pairs of numbers.

 9, 13, 8, 7, 3, 12, 2
• Find 4 different numbers with a total of 36.
• How many different ways can you find?
• What about using 12, 5, 8, 15, 9, 13, 6 to make a total of 39?

 17, 35, 26, 29, 15, 18

• Find all the different answers you can make by adding any 2 of the numbers above.

 20p, 10p, 10p, 10p, 5p, 5p, 2p, 1p

• Which different amounts can you make using 2 of these coin?

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 Maths investigations –
‘Reasoning and investigating about mathematics itself’
Foundation Stage & Key Stage 1
• What if…you used 3 / 4 / 5 / 6… of these coins?

 29, 47, 39, 56, 41

• Using the numbers above can you add the numbers or find the difference between them to make the following
numbers: 95, 88, 18, 27, 12
• What other numbers can you make by adding / subtracting pairs of numbers?

 You need: a set of 0 – 9 digit cards

• Choose 4 cards to make an addition calculation, e.g. 45 + 27 =
• Work out the answer to the sum.
• Do this 5 times.
• Which of your calculations have an answer nearest to 80 / 100 ?
• What if… you used 4 digit cards to make a calculation with an answer of 80 / 100.

 9, 8, 29, 7, 18, 17, 11

• Make as many addition and subtraction calculations as you can using 3 of the numbers above.

 Set A: 69, 58, 72, 94 Set B: – 25, – 36, – 18, – 47

• Choose a number from each set.
• How many different calculations can you make using the cards?
• Check your answer by adding the smaller number to your answer.

 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8
• Arrange the cards to make two 2-digit numbers.
• Then subtract the smaller number from the larger number.
• How many different questions and answers can you make?
• Which of your questions have the largest / smallest answer? …the answer nearest to 0?

 11, 7, 15, 6, 8, 9
• How many different ways can you make a total 28 using 3 of the numbers above?
• What if…you used 2 / 4 / 5 numbers?

 3, 4, 6, 7, 8
• Choose 4 digits above to make two 2-digit numbers.
• Add the numbers together.
• Do this 10 times.
• Can you find 2 different pairs of numbers with the same answer?

 1, 2, 5, 7, 9
• Choose 4 digits above to make two 2-digit numbers, e.g. 57 and 12
• Subtract the smaller number from the larger number.
• Do this 10 times.
• Can you find 2 different pairs of numbers with the same answer?

 I have 2 coins and 2 notes. What could their total value be?

Topic: Multiplication and division

 2, 5, 3, 4, 8, 10, x , =
• Use the following numbers and signs to make multiplication questions.

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 Maths investigations –
‘Reasoning and investigating about mathematics itself’
Foundation Stage & Key Stage 1
• Write each one in two ways, e.g. 3 x 5 = 15, 5 x 3 = 15.

 You need: set of 0 – 9 digit cards

• Pick 2 cards to make a 2-digit number.
• Multiply the number by 10, and by 100.
• Write down your answers.
• Choose another 2 cards and repeat above.
• Do this 10 times.
• What do you notice?

 You need: 36 cubes

• How many different ways can you find to put them into equal groups?
• What if… you used 48 cubes?

 The squares below are special. If you multiply diagonally the answers are the same, e.g. 4 x 5 = 20

6 3 3 6 4 3 5 10 10 5
10 5 2 4 8 6 2 4 4 2

• Can you make some special squares of your own? 10 x 2 = 20

 The squares below are special. If you divide diagonally the answers are the same, e.g. 25 ÷ 5 = 5

25 2 30 10 20 4 27 90 10 5
10 5 60 5 16 5 10 3 25 2

• Can you make some special squares of your own? 10 ÷ 2 = 5

 200, 300, 400, 600, 700, 900

• Divide each of the number above by 10.
• Divide each of the number above by 100.
• What do you notice about your answers?

 I can make all the numbers from 10 to 20 using any of the digits in my date of birth and the signs +, – and x
• If you were born on 14 August 1992. You would write it like this: 1, 4, 8, 9, 1, 9, 9, 2
• 10 = 9 + 1; 11 = 9 + 2…
• Do the same for your birthday.

Measures shape and space

Topic: Measures

 75 cm, 60 cm, 85 cm, 40 cm

• Add any two lengths above to make longer lengths.
• Can you find 6 longer lengths?

 100g, 200g, 500g

• Using only the weights above can you make the following weights: 300g, 400g, 600g, 700g, 800g, 900g, 1 kg?
• How could you make 1 kg 200g? Are there any other ways?

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 Maths investigations –
‘Reasoning and investigating about mathematics itself’
Foundation Stage & Key Stage 1

 Red: 2 litres 500 ml; Blue: 10 litres; Yellow: 5 litres; White: 12 litres 500 ml
• Colours mixing: red + blue = purple; blue + yellow = green; yellow + red = orange; red + white = pink
• Bud is mixing paint to decorate his juice bar.
• He mixes whole tins of paint each time.
• How many litres of purple, green, orange and pink can he make?

 You need: this months calendar

• Count on in 3s from 3.
• Cross through the numbers you land on.
• Count on in 7s from 7.
• Ring the numbers you land on.
• Count back in 7s from 7.
• Ring the numbers you land on.
• What patterns do you see for the 3s / 7s?

 You need: this months calendar

• Mark a 2 x 2 square on the calendar, e.g. S M T W T F S
• Add opposite numbers, e.g. 10 + 18 = 28, 11 + 17 = 28. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
• Choose four other 2 x 2 squares and do the same. 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
• What do you notice about your answers? 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Topic: Shape and space

 You need: 12 straws all the same length

• Without bending the straws, make 5 squares.
• Draw the shape you make.

 You need: set of regular and irregular 2-D shapes, ruler

• Choose a shape.
• Trace around the shape and draw a straight line down the middle of the shape.
• Is each half of the shape identical?
• Is there another way you can draw a line down the middle of the shape?
• Repeat for the other shapes.

Handling data

 You need: ten 1p coins, a yoghurt pot

• Write the numbers 0 to 10 on a piece of paper.
• Put all the coins in the pot.
• Cover the top and shake it.
• Tip then out onto the table.
• Count the number of coins showing heads.
• Put a tick next to that number on your piece of paper.
• Do this 10 times.
• Write 3 questions about your chart.
• Do this activity 10 more times. Are the answers to your questions still the same?

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 Maths investigations –
‘Reasoning and investigating about mathematics itself’
Foundation Stage & Key Stage 1

 Ask the children in your class which party game they prefer: Pass the parcel, Treasure hunt, Musical chairs,
Hide and seek.
• Make a table to record your results.
• Make a pictogram to record your results.
• Write 3 sentence about your pictogram.
• What if… you asked about party food: Cake, Jelly, Ice cream, Chocolate, Fruit, Crisps, Biscuits

 Ask the children in your class which party food they prefer: Cake, Jelly, Ice cream, Chocolate, Fruit, Crisps,
Biscuits
• Make a table to record your results.
• Make a pictogram to record your results.
• Write 3 sentence about your pictogram.

 You need: cut-up bits of paper, a hat or bag

• Write the names of all the children in your class on pieces of paper.
• Put the names in a hat or bag.
• Each choose one of these rules:
- Rule A: Girls’ names
- Rule B: Boys’ names
- Rule C: Name that begin with B.
- Rule D: Name with 4 letters.
• Look at the Venn diagram.
• Write your rule on the label on the Venn diagram.
• Take turns to take a name from the hat.
• Write your names on the diagram.
• When you have finished write about what happened.