Mathematical Investigation

Braille

Find out how the Braille alphabet is designed.

Investigate the possibility of redesigning it to make it easier to learn.

Braille (public domain image)

[See also Egg Boxes]

Investigate further.....

Investigations Home

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A mathematical investigation is quite different to other mathematical activities. The best investigations are open ended and allow students to choose the way they work and how they record their findings. It is one of the few occasions when 'going off on a tangent' is not only acceptable but actively encouraged (within reason).

Students may ask for 'the answers' but this supposes that the activity is closed. Investigations can always be extended by varying the initial instructions or asking the question 'what if...?'. Sometimes students point out that the instructions are ambiguous and can be interpreted in different ways. This is fine and the students are encouraged to explain how they interpreted the instructions in their report.

Some students may benefit from a writing frame when producing the reports of their investigations. Teachers may suggest sections or headings such as Introduction, Interpretation, Research, Working and Conclusion or something similar.

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Snooker Investigation

Snooker Investigation

Given the width and height of a snooker table can you predict which pocket the ball will end up in and how many times will it bounce off one of the sides?

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Remainder Race

Remainder Race

A game involving chance and choice requiring an ability to calculate the remainder when a two digit number is divided by a single digit number.

The short web address is:

Transum.org/go/?to=remainder

Recently Updated

Odd Scatter Out

Odd Scatter Out

Just by looking at the scatter graphs can you decide which is the odd one out according to their summary statistics? So far this activity has been accessed 95 times and it is ready for you to enjoy!

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