2008/2009 PS 0372

Semester II Examination

SESSION 2008/2009

Diploma in Primary Education

(3 Units)

RECREATIONAL MATHEMATICS

Time allowed: Three (3) hours

Instructions to candidates:

1) This examination paper consists of 10 questions.

2) Each question is worth ten (10) marks.
3) Answer all the questions.
4) Candidates may use calculators, rulers, matchsticks and protractors.
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1. Polyminoes can be formed from one, two, three or four squares as shown in the
figures below.

Rearrange all the figures above such that you can form a square of 5 x 5.
(Illustrate your answer with diagrams in your answer booklet)
(10
marks)

2. Each diagram in the sequence below consists of a number of dots

(a) Draw diagram number 5 of the sequence.

(b) Copy and complete the table below.

Diagram number
Number of dots

(c) By considering the number patterns, without drawing further diagrams, write down
the number of dots there will be
(i) in diagram 10,
(ii) in diagram 500.

(d) Write down the number of the diagram that has 70 dots.
(e) The number of dots in diagram n is denoted by x.
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Write an equation that expresses x in terms of n. (10 marks)

3. Design a creative game for the Upper Primary pupils such that the following
objectives of the lesson are included in your game.

(a) To develop the skill of calculating the area of simple and complex shapes on a
square lattice.

(b) To develop the skill of constructing simple formula.

(10 marks)

4. Some pupils have a remarkable facility for doing complicated calculations very
rapidly in their heads. Although in the age of electronic calculators this is not a
particularly useful skill it does have a fascination, and as teachers, you might be
interested in finding out about the methods used by these prodigies and teaching your
pupils some of these techniques in your classroom.

(a) Explain how do you get the answer of 173  397 mentally by visualizing a picture
below.

(b) Explain a quick method to square a two-digit number with 5 as a unit digit.
(c) Illustrate by giving three examples a quick method of multiplying 11 with a three-
digit number.

(10 marks)
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5. If you draw some straight lines on paper you can draw them so that they do or do
not cross.

Three straight lines can be drawn so that the lines never

cross each other.

Or so that one line crosses the other two.

This arrangement has two crossing points.

Or so that all three lines cross each other.

This arrangement has three crossing points.

(a) Lines which do not cross however far they are

extended have a special name. What is it?

(b) What is the maximum number of crossing points

with five lines?

(c) Copy and complete this table.

Number of lines 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Maximum number of crossing
points

(d) If 10 lines were drawn so that they all crossed each other, how many crossing points
would there be?

(e) If n lines were drawn so that they all crossed each other, what would be the
maximum number of crossing points?

(10 marks)
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6. There are many strange things that happen in our daily life. Have you ever heard and
seen unusual event that is true? Similarly, this occurs in our mathematical algorithm
for mixed numbers. Addition of strange mixed numbers gave us the correct answer!
Look at the algorithm below:

1 1 1
1. 1 2  3= 1
2
+3 =4
2
2 2 1
2. 2   2   1
3 3 3

Thus, explain if the algorithm for the following true?

1 1
1. (1  )  ( x  1) = (1  )  ( x  1)
x x

 x   x 
2. x     x   
 x 1   x 1 

(10 marks)
7. Start with one unit square (1 cm 2 ) construct an equiangular spiral till 144 cm 2 as
shown in the figure below.

Join 2 cm2 to 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34 until

144 cm2 in your drawing.

What type of numbers do you generate

from your diagram?

(10 marks)
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1
1
1 1
1 1 1 1
8. Begin with then , 1 , 1 , 1
1 11 1 1
1 1
11 1
11 1
11

and repeat 8 times from this pattern to get a proper fraction. Write down this fraction.
Explain clearly how you derive at your answer.
(10 marks)

9. Dayang Noraini was very keen on tiling her square rooms and courtyards with square
tiles. One day she was watching her tiller laying a new floor.

This was the 3 by 3 square which the tiller had already laid.
(a) How many tiles had the tiller laid?

The tiller then laid some more tiles so that he reached the next
possible square shape of 4 by 4 square.

(b) How many tiles were added to the 3 by 3 square to get the 4 by 4 square?
(c) How many tiles in total were used to make the 4 by 4 square?
(d) Show the four stages which the tiller would use to go from a 4 by 4 square to a 5 by 5
square.
(e) How many extra tiles would be added to go from the 4 by 4 to the 5 by 5 square?
(f) Copy and complete this table.

Size of square 1x1 2x2 3x3 4x4 5x5 6x6 7x7 8x8 9x9
Number of tiles

(g) How many tiles would be added going from a n by n square to a (n + 1) by (n + 1)

square?

(10 marks)
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10. The matchstick puzzles shown below need luck or careful analysis to solve.
Developing a strategy for solving these puzzles and describing the strategy with
applications to specific examples would make a lesson interesting where pupils will
be actively involved in spatial perception and logical thinking.

Solve the puzzles below and explain your steps using illustrated diagrams in your answer
booklet.

For the diagram on the left:

(a) Remove three matches such that you
leave six identical triangles.

(b) Remove five matches so that five

identical triangles are left behind.

(c) Remove six matches so that four

identical triangles are left behind.

(d) Remove three matches so that seven

identical triangles are left behind.

For this diagram,

(e) Remove four matches so that three identical

triangles are left behind.

(10 marks)

END OF PAPER