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Example or Non-Example?

Drag each card into the correct region based on whether it represents a triangle or not.

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Example
Cards to Sort
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Non-Example

Instructions

Drag each card into the correct region based on whether it represents a triangle or not.

Definition: A triangle is a polygon with three straight sides and three angles.

Each pair of sides meets at a vertex, and the three points must not lie on the same straight line (they are non-collinear).

Click the "Check" button once you have sorted all cards to see if your answers are correct.

Instructions

Try your best to answer the questions above. Type your answers into the boxes provided leaving no spaces. As you work through the exercise regularly click the "check" button. If you have any wrong answers, do your best to do corrections but if there is anything you don't understand, please ask your teacher for help.

When you have got all of the questions correct you may want to print out this page and paste it into your exercise book. If you keep your work in an ePortfolio you could take a screen shot of your answers and paste that into your Maths file.

Why am I learning this?

Mathematicians are not the people who find Maths easy; they are the people who enjoy how mystifying, puzzling and hard it is. Are you a mathematician?

Comment recorded on the 18 September 'Starter of the Day' page by Mrs. Peacock, Downe House School and Kennet School:

"My year 8's absolutely loved the "Separated Twins" starter. I set it as an optional piece of work for my year 11's over a weekend and one girl came up with 3 independant solutions."

Comment recorded on the 14 October 'Starter of the Day' page by Inger Kisby, Herts and Essex High School:

"Just a quick note to say that we use a lot of your starters. It is lovely to have so many different ideas to start a lesson with. Thank you very much and keep up the good work."

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Key Stage 2 Tests

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There are some wonderful questions for Year 6 pupils in the Key Stage 2 Maths Tests (SATs) which normally take place at this time each year. Here are some links to Transum activities for the main Maths attainment statements. Click the image above to begin.

Answers

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Go Maths

Learning and understanding Mathematics, at every level, requires learner engagement. Mathematics is not a spectator sport. Sometimes traditional teaching fails to actively involve students. One way to address the problem is through the use of interactive activities and this web site provides many of those. The Go Maths page is an alphabetical list of free activities designed for students in Secondary/High school.

Maths Map

Are you looking for something specific? An exercise to supplement the topic you are studying at school at the moment perhaps. Navigate using our Maths Map to find exercises, puzzles and Maths lesson starters grouped by topic.

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Description of Levels

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Level 1 - three-figure bearings

Level 2 - triangles

Level 3 - polygons

Level 4 - algebraic expressions

Level 5 - like terms

Level 6 - prime numbers

Answers to this exercise are available lower down this page when you are logged in to your Transum account. If you don’t yet have a Transum subscription one can be very quickly set up if you are a teacher, tutor or parent.

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For Students

Looking at examples and non-examples is a great way to help you understand maths ideas better. An example shows you what something is, and a non-example shows you what it isn't. By comparing them, you can spot the important parts that make something correct in maths. It’s like learning what makes a triangle a triangle: seeing shapes that aren’t triangles helps you understand better.

Non-examples are especially useful because they help you avoid common mistakes. If you see something that almost looks right but isn’t, you have to think carefully about why it’s wrong. That kind of thinking helps your brain understand maths more deeply and makes you a better problem-solver.

When you talk about why something is or isn’t a good example, you also practise using the right maths words. This helps you explain your ideas clearly and makes you feel more confident when solving maths problems or talking about them in class.

For Teachers

Here is a very good explanation from the wonderful My Barton:

Answers to this exercise are available lower down this page when you are logged in to your Transum account. If you don’t yet have a Transum subscription one can be very quickly set up if you are a teacher, tutor or parent.

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