Mathematics

Have a go at solving the lower, middle or upper primary open ended problems below!

Lower Primary

Rafael drew a robot using 3 squares, 2 rectangles, 2 triangles and 1 circle. Draw what the robot might look like.

The answer is 11 apples. What could the question be?

Middle Primary

Lee is thinking of a four-digit number between 3000 and 3500. The digit in the units column is the same as the digit in the hundreds column. The digit in the thousands column and the digit in the tens columns are both odd. Every digit in the number is a multiple of 3. List some of the possible four-digit numbers that Lee is thinking of.

Molly is moving around the furniture in her bedroom. The bed must be placed under the window, but away from the door. The desk must be against the wall, but away from the window. The lamp must be next to the desk, but away from the bed. Draw a plan of what Molly’s bedroom could look like.

Upper Primary

Chen is playing a game at a carnival. He must pick three numbers out of a bag. The numbers in the bag are: 21, 8, 16, 32, 65 and 14. Chen will win a prize if the three numbers add up to a number less than 50; if the three numbers add up to a multiple of five; or if the three numbers add up to a number greater than 80. List some winning combinations of numbers.

The clothing store is having a special sale. Customers may choose their discount: 10% off every item, or 20% of the total amount spent. Dresses cost $65, shoes cost $20 and hats cost $10. Delia buys one of each. Which discount would save her the most money? Is this always the best choice? Or does it depend on what you buy? Do some calculations to justify your answer.