Mathematical

Challenges for Able

Pupils in Year 3/4

Lesson plans and

extension activities
Introduction

These lesson plans have been written to support teachers using the NNS
Resource book ‘Mathematical Challenges for Able Pupils’ in Key Stages 1
and 2’. They contain suggestions about how this resource may be used in
the main part of the mathematics lesson with a mixed ability class. The
lesson plans also have ideas on how these activities may be extended or
simplified.

The lesson plans follow a structure devised by Herefordshire LEA, based

on ‘Helping to solve problems’ sheet given to delegates on the ‘Supporting
more able pupils in Year 5’ courses in Autumn 2002.

Activity Title Page

Dan the dectective 3

Susie the snake 8
Three monkeys 12
Card tricks 16
Stamps 20
Maisie the mouse 23
More Stamps 28
King Arnold 31

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Lesson Plan Key Stage 2 Y3/4

28 Dan the detective

Objective Y3/4 Solve a given problem by organising and interpreting

data.
Write whole numbers in figures; know what each digit represents.

Vocabulary Question/problem, record, predict, relationship, pattern/rule,

explain, reason, total, sum, difference.

Main Teaching

1.Dan the detective looked for a number.

He found a two- digit number less than 50.
The sum of its digits was 12.
Their difference was 4. What number did Dan find?

2.Dan found a two- digit number.

One of its digits was half the other.
The number was greater than 50.
What number did Dan find?

Ref: Mathematical challenges for able pupils NNS

Whole class: discuss and explain the context of the problem.

What do we have to find out? Which number Dan found.

In pairs have a discussion about what you might do to solve the problem.
What do you know now? The number is less than 50.
The sum of the digits was 12.
The difference between the digits was 4.
How will you start?
What maths will you use? Addition and subtraction
What else can you find out from the problem? It is a 2-digit number.

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What will you do next? Would any of these help?
Drawing a diagram/picture?
Using digit cards between 10 and 49?
Making lists?
Using trial and improvement?
Note: Children may start with a trial and improvement method by trying
a random number to see if it works.
Encourage the children to be systematic.

What number shall we start with?

If we start by looking at all the pairs of single digits that total 12 as we
know it is a 2 digit number whose digits total 12.

What will you need to record?

What might your recordings look like?
Listing
3 and 9
4 and 8
5 and 7
6 and 6
7 and 5 we already have this, the list is repeating

What will we do next?

Do any of the pairs of digits meet the next criteria? i.e. pairs of digits
with a difference of 4?
3 and 9 - no
4 and 8 - yes
Is this the only answer?
Have we got all the possibilities?
5 and 7 - no
6 and 6 - no

4 and 8 are the only single digits with a sum of 12 and a difference of 4

4 and 8 can be arranged to make two 2-digit numbers: 48 and 84

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Have you solved the problem? Is the answer reasonable ? Check with
all the criteria to make sure.
48 is a 2-digit number less than 50
The sum of its digits is 12
The difference between its digits is 4

Another approach:
What numbers shall we start with?
All the 2-digit numbers less than 50
What will you need to record?
What might your recordings look like?
Listing
10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19,
20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29,
30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39,
40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49,

What will we do next?

Do any of the numbers meet the next criteria? i.e. total of digits is 12.
10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19,
20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29,
30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39,
40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, Yes, 39 and 48.

What will we do next?

Do any of the numbers meet the next criteria? i.e. difference between
digits is 4.
Yes, only 48.
Have you solved the problem? Is the answer reasonable ? Check with
all the criteria to make sure.
48 is a 2-digit number less than 50.
The sum of its digits is 12.
The difference between its digits is 4.

So what next……….

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Problem 2
Whole class: discuss and explain the context of the problem.
What do we have to find out? Which number Dan found.
In pairs have a discussion about what you might do to solve the problem.

What do you know now? The number has 2 digits

One of the digits is half the other
The number is greater than 50
How will you start?
What maths will you use? Halving /doubling
What else can you find out from the problem? It is an odd number
What will you do next? Would any of these help?
Drawing a diagram/picture?
Using digit cards greater than 50?
Making lists?
Using trial and improvement?
Note: Children may start with a trial and improvement method by trying
a random number to see if it works.
Encourage the children to be systematic.

What number shall we start with?

Look at all the pairs of single digits where one is half the other (or one is
double the other)
What will you need to record?
What might your recordings look like?
Listing
1 and 2
2 and 4
3 and 6
4 and 8
5 and 10 that won't work as it would give a 3-digit number.
What will we do next?

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Do any of the pairs of digits meet the next criteria? i.e. pairs of digits
make a 2-digit number greater than 50?
1 and 2 12 no 21 no
2 and 4 24 no 42 no
3 and 6 36 no 63 yes
4 and 8 48 no 84 yes
63 and 84 are both numbers greater than 50 where one digit is half the
other.
But remember our answer must also be an odd number
63 is the only odd number

Have you solved the problem? Is the answer reasonable ? Check with
all the criteria to make sure.
63 is a 2-digit number greater than 50
3 is half of 6
63 is a 2-digit odd number.

Plenary There should be mini-plenaries throughout the session to

discuss methods, etc., and help the children to see pattern and predict.
The final plenary will depend on the year group being taught and the
progress the children make with the investigation. It should be a chance
to draw together ideas and explain their thinking and predictions.
Where appropriate demonstrate the systematic way of working and
recording results.

Note
With practice, children will find the most appropriate place to start their
listings and realise that you do not always have to list all possibilities of
one criteria if they do not meet the needs of the second (or third)
criteria.
When there are 2 or 3 criteria to solve the problem there are many
different starting points. Encourage pupils to decide which is the most
useful criterion to start the problem.

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Lesson Plan Key Stage 2 Y3/4

30 Susie the snake

Objective Y3/Y4 Solve mathematical problems, recognise and explain

patterns and relationships, generalise and predict. Suggest extensions by
asking ‘What if…?’
Y3/4 Explain methods and reasoning orally and, where appropriate in
writing.
Know multiplication facts for 4 and 5 times tables.

Vocabulary Question/problem, record, predict, relationship, pattern/rule,

explain, reason, multiples, remainders.
Main Teaching

Susie the snake

Susie the snake has up to 20 eggs.
She counted her eggs in fours. She had 3 left over.
She counted her eggs in fives. She had 4 left over.
How many eggs has Susie got?
Ref: Mathematical challenges for able pupils NNS
Whole class: discuss and explain the context of the problem.
What do we have to find out? How many eggs Susie has.
In pairs have a discussion about what you might do to solve the problem.
What do you know now? She counted them in 4’s and there were 3 left
over so it must be 3 more than a multiple of 4. She counted them in 5’s
and there were 4 left over so it must be 4 more than a multiple of 5.
How will you start?
What maths will you use? Multiplication tables/addition
What else can you find out from the problem? She has any number up
to 20 eggs.
What will you do next? Would any of these help?
Drawing a diagram/picture?
Using cubes/counters to represent eggs?
Making lists?

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 Using trial and improvement?
Note: Children may start with a trial and improvement method by trying
a random number to see if it works.
Encourage the children to be systematic. What if we start with one
group of 5 eggs and 4 more?
What will you need to record? What might your recordings look like?

Diagrammatic:
Try 1 group of 5 eggs and 4 more.

Can I arrange these eggs into groups of 4 and have 3 left over?

Why isn’t this a solution? There is only 1 left over, it has to be 3.

Try 2 groups of 5 eggs and 4 more.

Can I arrange these eggs into groups of 4 and have 3 left over?

Why isn’t this a solution? There is only 2 left over, it has to be 3.

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Try 3 groups of 5 eggs and 4 more.

Can I arrange these eggs into groups of 4 and have 3 left over?

Yes!
Is this the only answer?
Have we got all the possibilities?
Yes, because the next try would use more than 20 eggs.
Susie has 19 eggs altogether.
[Another way to start would be to start with groups of 4 eggs and 3
more, testing whether it grouped into 5 and 4 more.]
Listing:

Multiples of 4 Multiples of 4 Multiples of 5 Multiples of 5

and 3 more and 4 more
4 7 5 9
8 11 10 14
12 15 15 19
16 19 20
20

Note that list does not need to go beyond 20 eggs.

Is the answer reasonable? How do you know?
Have you solved the problem?
Susie had 19 eggs altogether.

So what next……….

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Extension:

Susie has up to 35 eggs. She counted them in 3’s and had 1 left over. She
counted them in 5’s and had 1 left over. She had an odd number of eggs.

Multiples of 3 and 1 more: 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34

Multiples of 5 and 1 more: 6 11 16 21 26 31
Susie had 31 eggs.

Simplification:

Susie has up to 15 eggs. She counted them in 2’s and had 1 left over. She
counted them in 5’s and had 1 left over.

Susie had 11 eggs.

Plenary There should be mini-plenaries throughout the session to

discuss methods, etc., and help the children to see pattern and predict.
The final plenary will depend on the year group being taught and the
progress the children make with the investigation. It should be a chance
to draw together ideas and explain their thinking and predictions.
Where appropriate demonstrate the systematic way of working and
recording results to ensure that no solution is missed out.

Note
38 Maisie the mouse is a similar problem and can be approached in
the same way.

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Lesson Plan Key Stage 2 Y3/4

31 Three Monkeys

Objective Y3/Y4 Solve mathematical problems, recognise and explain

patterns and relationships, generalise and predict. Suggest extensions by
asking ‘What if…?’
Y3/4 Explain methods and reasoning orally and, where appropriate in
writing.
Recognise odd and even numbers. Add 3 and 4 small numbers mentally.

Vocabulary Question/problem, record, predict, relationship, pattern/rule,

explain, reason, odd, even.

Main Teaching

Three monkeys
Three monkeys ate a total of 25 nuts.
Each of them ate a different odd number of nuts.
How many nuts did each of the monkeys eat?
Find as many different ways to do it as you can.
Ref: Mathematical challenges for able pupils NNS

Whole class: discuss and explain the context of the problem.

What do we have to find out? How many nuts each monkey ate.
In pairs have a discussion about what you might do to solve the problem.
What do you know now? Each monkey eats an odd number of nuts. There
are different ways of making the totals.
How will you start?
What maths will you use? Addition/adding/totals
What else can you find out from the problem? All the totals make 25.
What will you do next? Would any of these help?
Drawing a picture?
Using cubes/counters to represent nuts?
Making lists?

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 Using trial and improvement?
Note: Children may start with a trial and improvement method by adding
together any 3 odd numbers.
Encourage the children to be systematic. What if we start with the
smallest odd number [or largest odd number]?
What will you need to record? What might your recordings look like?
Lists
Starting with 1:
1 + 1 + 23
Why isn’t this trio a solution? Each number must be different.
What is the next smallest number we could use with 1?
1 + 3 + 21 - Yes this works!
Is this the only answer?
Can you find any more solutions starting with 1?
This is a suitable time for children to start to work more independently.

Continuing with 1:
1 + 5 + 19
1 + 7 + 17
1 + 9 + 15
1 + 11 + 13
Are there any more starting numbers?
Starting with 3:
3 + 5 + 17
3 + 7 + 15
3 + 9 + 13
Are there any more starting numbers?
Starting with 5:
5 + 7 + 13
5 + 9 + 11
Are there any more possibilities?
Starting with 7 or 9 etc will repeat solutions we already have.
Have we got an answer? Have we got all the possibilities?
Is the answer reasonable? How do you know?
Have you solved the problem?

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There 10 different ways that the 3 monkeys can eat 25 nuts.
So what next……….

Extensions:
Change to 31. Each monkey must have a different odd number of nuts.
Solution:
1 3 27, 1 5 25, 1 7 23, 1 9 21, 1 11 19, 1 13 17,
3 5 23, 3 7 21, 3 9 19, 3 11 17, 3 13 15, 5 7 19,
5 9 17, 5 11 15, 7 9 15, 7 11 13

Change total numbers of nuts to 26. Four monkeys to have a different

odd number each.
Solution: 17 1 3 5, 15 1 3 7, 13 1 5 7, 13 1 3 9,
11 1 5 9, 11 3 5 7

Change total to 20. Four monkeys each have an odd number of nuts.
More than one monkey can have the same number.
Solution: 17 1 1 1, 15 1 1 3, 13 1 1 5, 13 1 3 3, 11 1 1 7,
11 1 3 5, 11 3 3 3, 9 1 1 9, 9 1 3 7, 9 1 5 5,
9 3 3 5, 7 7 1 5, 7 5 5 3, 7 7 3 3, 5 5 5 5

Simplifications
Change total number of nuts to 10. Each monkey must have a different
odd or even number of nuts.
Solution: 7 2 1, 6 3 1, 5 4 1, 532

Change total to 10. Each monkey must have an odd or even number of
nuts. More than one monkey can have the same number of nuts.
Solution:
7 2 1, 6 3 1, 5 4 1, 5 3 2, 6 2 2, 8 1 1, 4 4 2, 334

Change total to 15. Each monkey must have a different odd number of
nuts.
Solution: 11 3 1, 9 5 1, 7 5 3

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Change total to 15. Each monkey must have an odd number of nuts. More
than one monkey can have the same number of nuts.
Solution:
11 3 1, 9 5 1, 7 5 3, 13 1 1, 9 3 3, 7 7 1, 5 5 5

Plenary There should be mini-plenaries throughout the session to

discuss methods, etc., and help the children to see pattern and predict.
The final plenary will depend on the year group being taught and the
progress the children make with the investigation. It should be a chance
to draw together ideas and explain their thinking and predictions.
Where appropriate demonstrate the systematic way of working and
recording results to ensure that no solution is missed out.

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Lesson Plan Key Stage 2 Y3/4

32 Card Tricks

Objective Y3/Y4 Solve mathematical problems, recognise and explain

patterns and relationships, generalise and predict. Suggest extensions by
asking ‘What if…?’
Y3/Y4 Explain how a problem was solved orally and, where appropriate, in
writing.
Know addition and subtraction facts to 20
Add 3 or 4 small numbers mentally
Vocabulary Question/problem, record, predict, relationship,
pattern/rule, explain, reason, total.
Main Teaching

Card Tricks
Chico's cards are all different.
There is a number from 1 to 8 on each card.
Chico has chosen four cards that add up to 20.
What are they?
There are seven different possibilities.
Try to find them all.
What if Chico has three cards that add up to 16?
Ref: Mathematical challenges for able pupils NNS
Whole class: discuss and explain the context of the problem.
What do we have to find out? Four cards that add up to 20.
In pairs have a discussion about what you might do to solve the problem.
What do you know now? The cards have the digits 1 to 8 written on
them. All the cards have to be different.
How will you start?
What maths will you use? Addition/adding/totals
What else can you find out from the problem?
There are seven different combinations of cards.
What will you do next? Would any of these help?
Drawing a diagram?
Using cards 1 to 8?

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 Making list and tables?
Using trial and improvement?
Note: Children may start practically with a trial and improvement
method by adding together the digits on any four cards.
Encourage the children to be systematic.

What if we start with the largest numbers first? (or smallest)

What will you need to record? What might your recordings look like?
Make a list,

8 + 7 + ? + ? = 20 where ? + ? = 5
8 + 7 + 5 + 0 = 20 x not possible, no zero card
8 + 7 + 4 + 1 = 20
8 + 7 + 3 + 2 = 20
There are no other combinations starting with 8 and 7 as order of the
cards doesn't matter

Are there any other starting numbers?

8 + 6 + ? + ? = 20 where ? + ? = 6
8 + 6 + 5 + 1 = 20
8 + 6 + 4 + 2 = 20
8 + 6 + 3 + 3 =20 x not a solution as we have repeated a digit
There are no other solutions starting with 8 and 6

Are there any other starting numbers?

8 + 5 + ? + ? = 20 where ? + ? = 7
8 + 5 + 4 + 3 = 20
There are no other different solutions with 8 and 5

Are there any other starting numbers with 8?

No, as they have all been included in the above solutions.

Are there any other pairs of starting numbers, not including 8?

7 + 6 + ? + ? = 20 where ? + ? = 7

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7 + 6 + 5 + 2 = 20
7 + 6 +4 + 3 = 20
There are no other different solutions starting with 7 and 6

Let's try 6 and 5 - no, all possibilities with 6 and 5 have already been
found.
We have found all possibilities with different starting numbers already.
Have we got an answer? Have we got all the possibilities?
Is the answer reasonable? How do you know?
Have you solved the problem?
Yes, we have found 7 different solutions
So what next……

Extension
What if Chico has different cards with the numbers 1 to 10 written
on them? He has chosen 4 of the cards that total 25. How many
different ways can he do this?
Which of these might help? Which would be most useful?

Drawing a diagram?
Using cards with the digits 1 to 10?
Making list and tables?
Using trial and improvement?
Note: Children may start practically with a trial and improvement method
by adding together the digits on any four cards.
Encourage the children to be systematic.
What if we start with the largest numbers first?
What will you need to record? What might your recordings look like?
Make a list,
Proceeding, as before, in a systematic way there should be 14 different
solutions
10 + 9 + 5 + 1 = 25
10 + 9 + 4 + 2 = 25
10 + 8 + 6 + 1 = 25
10 + 8 + 5 + 2 = 25

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10 + 8 + 4 + 3 = 25
10 + 7 + 6 + 2 = 25
10 + 7 + 5 + 3 = 25
10 + 6 + 5 + 4 = 25
9 + 8 + 7 + 1 = 25
9 + 8 + 6 + 2 = 25
9 + 8 + 5 + 3 = 25
9 + 7 + 6 + 3 = 25
9 + 7 + 5 + 4 = 25
8 + 7 + 6 + 4 = 25
Have you got the answer?
Is the answer reasonable? How do you know?
Have we solved the problem?
Yes, we have found 14 different solutions and there are no other
possibilities.

Simplifications:
Chico's cards are all different. There is a number from 1 to 8 on
each card. Chico has chosen three of the cards that add up to 16.
What are they?
Proceed, as before, in a systematic way, starting with the largest card
first (or smallest)
8 + 7 + 1 = 16
8 + 6 + 2 = 16
8 + 5 + 3 = 16
7 + 6 + 3 = 16
7 + 5 + 4 = 16
All the other ways are repeats. There are 5 different ways.

Plenary There should be mini-plenaries throughout the session to

discuss methods, etc., and help the children to see pattern and predict.
The final plenary will depend on the year group being taught and the
progress the children make with the investigation. It should be a chance
to draw together ideas and explain their thinking and predictions.
Where appropriate demonstrate the systematic way of working and
recording results to ensure that no solution is missed out.

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Lesson Plan Key Stage 2 Y3/4

37 Stamps

Objective Y3/Y4 Solve mathematical problems, recognise and explain

patterns and relationships, generalise and predict. Suggest extensions by
asking ‘What if…?’
Y3/4 Explain methods and reasoning orally and, where appropriate in
writing.
Know multiplication facts for 5 and 10 times tables.

Vocabulary Question/problem, record, predict, relationship, pattern/rule,

explain, reason, pence, pounds, total.

Main Teaching

Stamps
Tilly’s parcel cost 55p to post.
She stuck on eight stamps.
Each stamp was either 10p or 5p.
How many of each stamp did Tilly stick on her parcel?
Ref: Mathematical challenges for able pupils NNS
Whole class: discuss and explain the context of the problem.
What do we have to find out? What stamps did Tilly stick on the
parcel.
In pairs have a discussion about what you might do to solve the problem.
What do you know now? She used 10p stamps and 5p stamps and the
cost was 55p. She stuck on 8 stamps.
How will you start?
What maths will you use? Addition of money
What else can you find out from the problem? She used only eight
stamps.
What will you do next? Would any of these help?
Drawing a diagram/picture?
Using coins/cards?
Making lists?
Using trial and improvement?

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Note: Children may start with a trial and improvement method by trying
a random number of coins to see if it works.
Encourage the children to be systematic. What if we start with eight
stamps that have the same value?

What stamp shall we start with? If we start with eight 10p stamps
then the total cost is bigger than 55p, so we’ll start with eight 5p stamps.
What will you need to record?
What might your recordings look like?
Diagrammatic:
Try eight 5p stamps

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

That makes a total of 40p.

Why isn’t that a solution? It must add up to 55p.
What will we do next? Replace one stamp with a 10p stamp.

10 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

That makes a total of 45p.

Why isn’t that a solution? It must add up to 55p.
What will we do next? Replace another stamp with a 10p stamp.

10 10 5 5 5 5 5 5

That makes a total of 50p

Why isn’t that a solution? It must add up to 55p.
What will we do next? Replace another stamp with a 10p stamp.

10 10 10 5 5 5 5 5

That makes a total of 55p.

Is this the only answer?
Have we got all the possibilities?
Is the answer reasonable? How do you know?

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Have you solved the problem? Tilly stuck three 10p stamps and five 5p
stamps on her parcel.
So what next……….

Extension:

Tilly’s parcel cost 80p. She stuck on ten stamps. Each stamp was either
10p or 5p. How many of each did Tilly stick on her parcel?
Recording systematically using a table may show patterns more clearly.

No. of 10p No. of 5p Total value

stamps stamps
10 0 £1
9 1 95p
8 2 90p
7 3 85p
6 4 80p
Tilly stuck six 10p stamps and four 5p stamps on her parcel.

Simplification:
Tilly’s parcel cost 50p. She stuck on six stamps. Each stamp was either
10p or 5p. How many of each stamp did she stick on her parcel?

10 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 5 + 5
Four 10p stamps and two 5p stamps.

Plenary There should be mini-plenaries throughout the session to

discuss methods, etc., and help the children to see pattern and predict.
The final plenary will depend on the year group being taught and the
progress the children make with the investigation. It should be a chance
to draw together ideas and explain their thinking and predictions.
Where appropriate demonstrate the systematic way of working and
recording results.

Note
44 More stamps is a similar problem.

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Lesson Plan Key Stage 2 Y3/4

38 Maisie the Mouse

Objective Y3/Y4 Solve mathematical problems, recognise and explain

patterns and relationships, generalise and predict. Suggest extensions by
asking ‘What if…?’
Y3/4 Explain methods and reasoning orally and, where appropriate in
writing. Know facts for 4 and 5 times tables.

Vocabulary Question/problem, record, predict, relationship, pattern/rule,

explain, reason, multiples, remainders.

Main Teaching

Maisie the Mouse

Maisie has between 30 and 50 breadcrumbs.
She counted the breadcrumbs in fours.
There were 2 left over.
She counted them in fives. There was 1 left over.
How many breadcrumbs did Maisie have?

Ref: Mathematical challenges for able pupils NNS

Whole class: discuss and explain the context of the problem.

What do we have to find out? How many breadcrumbs Maisie has.
In pairs have a discussion about what you might do to solve the problem.
What do you know now? She counted them in 4’s and there were 2 left
over. She counted them in 5’s and there was 1 left over.
Can you explain that in another way? The number of breadcrumbs must
be 2 more than a multiple of 4 and 1 more than a multiple of 5.
How will you start?
What maths will you use? Multiplication tables/addition
What else can you find out from the problem? The number of
breadcrumbs is between 30 and 50.

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What will you do next? Would any of these help?
Drawing a diagram/picture?
Using cubes/counters to represent breadcrumbs?
Making lists?
Using trial and improvement?
Note: Children may start with a trial and improvement method by trying
a random number of breadcrumbs to see if it works.
Encourage the children to be systematic.
What number shall we start with? Shall we try 30?
30 is the smallest number it can possibly be but that is exactly 6 groups
of 5 [or a multiple of 5].
What if we start with 6 groups of 5 breadcrumbs and 1 more?
What will you need to record? What might your recordings look like?
Diagrammatic:
Try 6 groups of 5 breadcrumbs and 1 more.

Can I arrange these breadcrumbs into groups of 4 and have 2 left over?

Why isn’t this a solution? There are 3 left over; it has to be 2.

Try 7 groups of 5 breadcrumbs and 1 more.

Can I arrange these eggs into groups of 4 and have 3 left over?

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Why isn’t this a solution? 36 is a multiple of 4. There are no
breadcrumbs left over, it has to be 2.
Try 8 groups of 5 breadcrumbs and 1 more.

Can I arrange these breadcrumbs into groups of 4 and have 2 left over?

Why isn’t this a solution? There is 1 breadcrumb left over and it has to
be 2.

Try 9 groups of 5 breadcrumbs and 1 more

Can I arrange these breadcrumbs into groups of 4 and have 2 left over?

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Yes!
Is this the only answer?
Have we got all the possibilities?
Yes, because the next try would use more than 50 breadcrumbs.
Maisie has got 46 breadcrumbs altogether.
Note
Some children may realise that multiples of 4 are always even, so a
multiple of 4 plus 2 would also always be even. This means they would not
even have to try: -
6 lots of 5 plus 1 = 31 or
8 lots of 5 plus 1 = 41 as they give odd answers

Another way to start would be to start with 7 groups of 4 breadcrumbs

and 2 more, testing whether it grouped into 5 and 1 more.
As multiples of 5 are odd or even, this would mean testing all possibilities.
However, children may quickly realise that multiples of 5 plus 1 will always
end in 1 or 6 and discard other answers.

Listing/table:

Multiples of 4 Multiples of 4 Multiples of 5 Multiples of 5

and 2 more and 1 more
28 30 30 31
32 34 35 36
36 38 40 41
40 42 45 46
44 46 50 51
48 50 55 56
Note that list does not need to start before 30 breadcrumbs or go past
50.
Is the answer reasonable? How do you know?
Have you solved the problem?
Maise has got 46 breadcrumbs altogether.

So what next……….

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Extension
Maisie has between 20 and 50 breadcrumbs. She counted them in 3’s and
had 1 left over. She counted them in 4’s and had 3 left over. How many
breadcrumbs has she got?
Remember the answers are between 20 and 50 so we do not have to start
our list at the beginning
Multiples of 3 and 1 more: 22 25 28 31 34 37 40 43 46 49
Multiples of 4 and 3 more: 23 27 31 35 39 43 47 51
There are two solutions.
Maisie can have 31 breadcrumbs or 43 breadcrumbs

Simplification
Maisie has up to 25 breadcrumbs. She counted them in 5’s and had 1 left
over. She counted them in 4’s and had 1 left over.

Maise has 21 breadcrumbs.

Listing:
Multiples of 5 plus 1 more: 6 11 16 21 26
Multiples of 4 plus 1 more: 5 9 13 17 21 25

Plenary There should be mini-plenaries throughout the session to

discuss methods, etc., and help the children to see pattern and predict.
The final plenary will depend on the year group being taught and the
progress the children make with the investigation. It should be a chance
to draw together ideas and explain their thinking and predictions.
Where appropriate demonstrate the systematic way of working and
recording results to ensure that no solution is missed out.

Note
30 Susie the Snake is a similar problem and can be approached in the
same way.

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Lesson Plan Key Stage 2 Y3/4

44 More stamps

Objective Y3/Y4 Solve mathematical problems, recognise and explain

patterns and relationships, generalise and predict. Suggest extensions by
asking ‘What if…?’
Y3/4 Explain methods and reasoning orally and, where appropriate in
writing. Begin to use ideas of simple ratio and proportion.

Vocabulary Question/problem, record, predict, relationship, pattern/rule,

explain, reason, twice, double.

Main Teaching

More stamps
Rosie spent £2 on 10p and 20p stamps.
She bought three times as many 10p stamps as 20p
stamps.
How many of each stamp did she buy?

Ref: Mathematical challenges for able pupils NNS

Whole class: discuss and explain the context of the problem.
What do we have to find out? How many stamps Rosie bought.
In pairs have a discussion about what you might do to solve the problem.
What do you know now? She bought 3 times as many 10p stamps as 20p
stamps.
How will you start?
What maths will you use? Addition and doubling of money
What will you do next? Would any of these help?
Drawing a diagram/picture?
Using stamps/coins/cards?
Making lists?
Using trial and improvement?
Note: Children may start with a trial and improvement method by trying
a random number of coins to see if it works.

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Encourage the children to be systematic. What if we start with one 20p
stamp and three 10p stamps?
What will you need to record? What might your recordings look like?
Diagrammatic:

20 10 10 10

That makes a total 50p.

Why isn’t this a solution? It has to add up to £2.
Try two 20p stamps and six 10p stamps.

20 10 10 10

20 10 10 10

That makes £1.

Why isn’t this a solution? It only adds up to half of £2.

What will we do next? Double this amount to make £2.

20 10 10 10

20 10 10 10

20 10 10 10

20 10 10 10

The total is £2.

[A quicker solution would be to multiply the 50p total by 4 i.e. use of
simple ratio]
Is this the only answer?
Have we got all the possibilities? Yes, because there is only one total to
make.

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Is the answer reasonable? How do you know?
Have you solved the problem? Rosie bought four 20p stamps and twelve
10p stamps.
So what next……….

Extension
Rosie spent £3.60 on 10p and 20p stamps. She bought twice as many 10p
stamps as 20p stamps. How many of each did she buy?

20p + 10p + 10p = 40p

20p + 10p + 10p x 2 = 80p
20p + 10p + 10p x 3 = £1.20
20p + 10p + 10p x 6 = £2.40
20p + 10p + 10p x 9 = £3.60
Rosie bought nine 20p stamps and eighteen 10p stamps.

Simplification
Rosie spent 90p on 20p and 10p stamps. She bought the same number of
each stamp. How many of each did she buy?

20p + 10p = 30p

20p + 20p + 10p +10p = 60p
20p + 20p + 20p + 10p + 10p + 10p = 90p
Rosie bought three 20p stamps and three 10p stamps.

Plenary There should be mini-plenaries throughout the session to

discuss methods, etc., and help the children to see pattern and predict.
The final plenary will depend on the year group being taught and the
progress the children make with the investigation. It should be a chance
to draw together ideas and explain their thinking and predictions.
Where appropriate demonstrate the systematic way of working and
recording results.

Note
37 Stamps is a similar problem.

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Lesson Plan Key Stage 2 Y3/4

48 King Arnold

Objective Y3/Y4 Solve mathematical problems, recognise and explain

patterns and relationships, generalise and predict. Suggest extensions by
asking ‘What if…?’
Y3/4 Explain methods and reasoning orally and, where appropriate in
writing.

Vocabulary Question/problem, record, predict, relationship, pattern/rule,

explain, reason, .

Main Teaching

King Arnold
King Arnold sits at a Round Table.
There are 3 empty seats.
In how many different ways can 3 knights sit in them?

Ref: Mathematical challenges for able pupils NNS

Whole class: discuss and explain the context of the problem.
What do we have to find out? How many ways the knights can sit at the
table.
In pairs have a discussion about what you might do to solve the problem.
What do you know now? The knights are able to change places with each
other but King Arnold stays in his seat.
How will you start?
What maths will you use?
What will you do next? Would any of these help?
Drawing a diagram/picture?
Using different coloured cubes/counters to represent king and
knights.
Making lists?
Using trial and improvement?
Note: Children may start with a trial and improvement method by trying
different positions at random.

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Encourage the children to be systematic. What if we start with keeping
one knight still and finding out all the positions the other 2 knights
can sit around the table?
What will you need to record? What might your recordings look like?

Diagrammatic:
Knight A stays in his chair.

King King

A B A C

C B

There are 2 ways of seating Knights B and C.

Is this the only answer? No, Knight A can move around the table.
What will we do next?
Knight A moves to a new position and stays in his seat.

King King

B C C B

A A

There are 2 more ways.

What will we do next? Move Knight A to a different seat.

King King

B A C A

C B

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There are 2 more ways.
Is this the only answer?
Have we got all the possibilities?
Is the answer reasonable? How do you know?
Have you solved the problem? There are 6 different ways to seat the
knights around the table.

So what next……….

Extension
What if there are 4 empty seats? How many different ways can 4 knights
sit in them?

King and Knight A remain in their seats.

King King King King King King

A D A C A D A B A C A B
B C B D C B C D D B D C

There are 6 different ways that the other 3 knights can be seated.
If Knight B takes the place of Knight A there will be 6 more seating
arrangements.
Similarly there will be 6 ways for Knight C and for Knight D
Total no: 6 x 4 = 24 ways altogether.

Plenary There should be mini-plenaries throughout the session to

discuss methods, etc., and help the children to see pattern and predict.
The final plenary will depend on the year group being taught and the
progress the children make with the investigation. It should be a chance
to draw together ideas and explain their thinking and predictions.
Where appropriate demonstrate the systematic way of working and
recording results to ensure that no solution is missed out.

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