Durham Maths Mysteries
The Durham Maths Mysteries were written by Shirley Fall of Durham County Council as a resource to engage students in mathematics and promote discussion. The activities are based on cards with statements about the area of mathematics being covered. Students then have to use reasoning to decide how to tackle the the task. Some of the mysteries have accompanying support materials and extension questions.
Teachers' notes are provided as Download background here.
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- PDF: Download background
- URL: http://stem.org.uk/cx36a
Straight Line Graphs Mystery
This resource created by Shirley Fall has twenty mystery fact cards, each containing a statement about the features of straight line graphs and how they lie on a 3 by 3 grid. The rationale is for students to use the fact cards to discover the features of each graph - its gradient, its intercept, its graph and ultimately its equation…
Algebra Mystery
This resource written by Shirley Fall has thirteen cards each with a statement about algebraic expressions and how they lie on a 3 by 3 grid. The rationale is for students to discuss possible options and work towards a solution of which algebraic expression lies in each of the grid cells. The file named algebraic expression cards…
Directed Numbers Mystery
This resource written by Shirley Fall has thirteen cards each with a statement about directed numbers and how they lie on a 3 by 3 grid. The rationale is for students to discuss possible options and work towards a solution of which directed number lies in each of the grid cells. The file named Directed Number Mystery Solution…
Locus Mystery
This resource written by Shirley Fall focuses on constructing loci. There are eighteen cards with statements about an area of land centred on a four-sided field reputed once to have belonged to a notorious highwayman. Students are asked to discuss in groups and use the cards to construct the diagram and hence solve the puzzle of…
4/5- Publication year: 2000 - 2009
- Group work
Probability Mystery
This resource, written by Shirley Fall, has fourteen cards with statements about the likelihood of six different runners winning a race. Students are tasked with using the statements on the cards to determine who is most likely to win the race, with what probability, and in what sequence they would expect the runners to finish. The…
- 5/5
- Publication year: 2000 - 2009
- Group work
Properties of Shape Mystery
This resource written by Shirley Fall has fifteen cards each with a statement about 2-D shapes and how they lie on a 3 by 3 grid. The rationale is for students to discuss the possible options and work towards a solution of which 2-D shape lies in each of the grid cells. Extension questions are also posed. The file named 2-D Shape…
- 5/5
- Publication year: 2000 - 2009
- Group work
Ratio and Proportion Mystery
This resource written by Shirley Fall has eleven cards, each with a statement about how some students have performed in two papers of a mathematics test. Students are tasked to decide who should get the mathematics prize by working out their rank order. It is suggested that students draw up a table to show each student's marks…
Collection author
Resource by: Durham County Council
Comments
Really like these. Great for consolidation and there are numerous opportunities for differentiation.