One way of writing a word in a secret code is to write the difference of the values of each letter compared to the next (including negative numbers if the first letter in a pair has a larger value than the second)
For example the word AREA would be 17,-13,-4.
However many other sets of four letters would also have this same three-numbered cipher.
The following cipher could only be one possible nine-letter word. What is it?
-2, -17, 15, -11, 21, -17, 12, -8
Topics: Starter
How did you use this starter? Can you suggest
how teachers could present or develop this resource? Do you have any comments? It is always useful to receive
feedback and helps make this free resource even more useful for Maths teachers anywhere in the world.
Click here to enter your comments.
Previous Day | This starter is for | Next Day
More Mathematics Lesson Starters
Transum,
Monday, July 2, 2018
"As an extension activity: Which other words can you find that will create unique ciphers?
For more activities like this see the Code Cracking presentation and related challenges."
How did you use this resource? Can you suggest how teachers could present, adapt or develop it? Do you have any comments? It is always useful to receive feedback and helps make this free resource even more useful for Maths teachers anywhere in the world. Click here to enter your comments.
Your access to the majority of the Transum resources continues to be free but you can help support the continued growth of the website by doing your Amazon shopping using the links on this page. Below is an Amazon link. As an Amazon Associate I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases which helps pay for the upkeep of this website.
Educational Technology on Amazon
