Photocopiable Investigations

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Welcome to hours of mathematical enjoyment!

(Ages 6-9): The Egyptian Triangle (£0.60)

Discover the special triangle that the Egyptians used in their buildings, while learning about how simple decimals work, the importance of accurate measuring and how to work systematically to solve a problem.

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(Ages 8-11): How many different kinds of triangle are there? (£1.00)

How many different kinds of triangle are there? Can you have a triangle with two obtuse angles?

These and other questions are all explored in this practical investigation using geostrips (or something similar).

By the end of the investigation you should be able to identify right-angled, acute-angled and obtuse-angled triangles and know what it means for a triangle to be equilateral, isoceles or scalene.

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(Ages 8-11): Angles in Triangles and Quadrilaterals (£1.90)

Investigate the angles in different triangles and quadrilaterals and discover the facts about their totals.

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(Ages 9-12): Properties of Quadrilaterals (£1.00)

Find out why a square is a special kind of rectangle but a rectangle is not a special kind of square!

Explore the differences rhombuses and parallelograms, kites and trapeziums.

Investigate questions like 'Is there a quadrilateral with three acute angles?'

A practical approach using construction material such as geostrips.

First impressions - detail excellent especially to support those teachers who are not so confident.
Year 5 teacher, Kent

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(Ages 9-12): Constructing Shapes (£1.00)

Constructing shapes with compasses is always great fun because you get pretty patterns. But this investigation goes well beyond regular activities with pupils being given an open-ended challenge to create as many different types of shape as possible using a pair of compasses and a straight edge.

You first learn how to construct an equilateral triangle, how to bisect a line to make a right angle and how to bisect an angle. Armed with these three simple techniques see what other shapes you can create. Square, rectangle, kite, rhombus, trapezium, parallelogram, hexagon and octagon are all possible!

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(Ages 9-12): Angles in Polygons (£1.40)

Investigate the total interior and exterior angles of polygons (triangle, quadrilateral, pentagon, hexagon etc.) Explore patterns in the numbers and establish rules and experiment with formulas.

The investigations were very challenging and it made the children think independently and look for patterns, developing their enquiring minds. I would not have thought of presenting such an investigation and in such an open ended way. (Pattern of total of interior angles in 2D shapes V number of sides). The children really enjoyed the level of difficulty and had obviously never looked at such an investigation before.
Year 5 co-ordinator, Woodnewton School

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(Ages 9-12): Perimeter and Area of Triangles & Quadrilaterals (£0.80)

You may be able to calculate the perimeters and areas of a rectangle and a triangle, but can you explain why the formulas work?

Build on this to explore other quadrilaterals: rhombus, kite, trapezium and parallelogram.

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(Ages 9-12): The Great 2D Shape Investigation (£0.90)

An umbrella investigation stimulating a wide variety of explorations into 2-D shapes. Depending on the lines of enquiry that develop, you can then use material from related investigations such as Properties of quadrilaterals, Constructing polygons, Angles in Polygons etc.

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(Ages 9-12): Pythagoras Puzzle (£0.40)

Have fun making this simple puzzle which very beautifully illustrates Pythagoras' Theorem that the sum of the squares on two sides of a right-angled triangle = the square on the third side.

Make and solve the puzzle and then through measuring areas discover Pythagoras' Theorem.

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