These models have appeared around the Centre for Mathematical Sciences. Perhaps you would like to try to make some similar models of your own.
What happens when a procedure calls itself?
A game to make and play based on the number line.
You could use just coloured pencils and paper to create this
design, but it will be more eye-catching if you can get hold of
hammer, nails and string.
Follow these instructions to make a three-piece and/or seven-piece
Time for a little mathemagic! Choose any five cards from a pack and show four of them to your partner. How can they work out the fifth?
Make a spiral mobile.
More Logo for beginners. Learn to calculate exterior angles and draw regular polygons using procedures and variables.
As part of Liverpool08 European Capital of Culture there were a
huge number of events and displays. One of the art installations
was called "Turning the Place Over". Can you find our how it works?
More Logo for beginners. Now learn more about the REPEAT command.
How is it possible to predict the card?
Make an equilateral triangle by folding paper and use it to make
patterns of your own.
It might seem impossible but it is possible. How can you cut a
playing card to make a hole big enough to walk through?
Make a clinometer and use it to help you estimate the heights of
Make some celtic knot patterns using tiling techniques
Learn how to draw circles using Logo. Wait a minute! Are they really circles? If not what are they?
This package contains hands-on code breaking activities based on
the Enigma Schools Project. Suitable for Stages 2, 3 and 4.
Learn to write procedures and build them into Logo programs. Learn to use variables.
Learn about Pen Up and Pen Down in Logo
Turn through bigger angles and draw stars with Logo.
This part introduces the use of Logo for number work. Learn how to use Logo to generate sequences of numbers.
Write a Logo program, putting in variables, and see the effect when you change the variables.
Arrange your fences to make the largest rectangular space you can. Try with four fences, then five, then six etc.
Can you puzzle out what sequences these Logo programs will give? Then write your own Logo programs to generate sequences.
This is the second in a twelve part introduction to Logo for beginners. In this part you learn to draw polygons.
Make a mobius band and investigate its properties.
Galileo, a famous inventor who lived about 400 years ago, came up
with an idea similar to this for making a time measuring
instrument. Can you turn your pendulum into an accurate minute
Have you noticed that triangles are used in manmade structures?
Perhaps there is a good reason for this? 'Test a Triangle' and see
how rigid triangles are.
How many differently shaped rectangles can you build using these
equilateral and isosceles triangles? Can you make a square?
Make a cube with three strips of paper. Colour three faces or use
the numbers 1 to 6 to make a die.
You have 27 small cubes, 3 each of nine colours. Use the small cubes to make a 3 by 3 by 3 cube so that each face of the bigger cube contains one of every colour.
Surprise your friends with this magic square trick.
In this article for teachers, Bernard uses some problems to suggest
that once a numerical pattern has been spotted from a practical
starting point, going back to the practical can help explain. . . .
Using these kite and dart templates, you could try to recreate part
of Penrose's famous tessellation or design one yourself.
Make a ball from triangles!
Logo helps us to understand gradients of lines and why Muggles Magic is not magic but mathematics. See the problem Muggles magic.
Did you know mazes tell stories? Find out more about mazes and make
one of your own.
Use the tangram pieces to make our pictures, or to design some of
This article for pupils gives an introduction to Celtic knotwork
patterns and a feel for how you can draw them.
If you'd like to know more about Primary Maths Masterclasses, this
is the package to read! Find out about current groups in your
region or how to set up your own.
This article for students gives some instructions about how to make some different braids.
Draw whirling squares and see how Fibonacci sequences and golden rectangles are connected.
Can you describe what happens in this film?
Ideas for practical ways of representing data such as Venn and
A description of how to make the five Platonic solids out of paper.
Have a go at drawing these stars which use six points drawn around
a circle. Perhaps you can create your own designs?
How can you make a curve from straight strips of paper?
Here is a chance to create some Celtic knots and explore the mathematics behind them.
Exploring balance and centres of mass can be great fun. The
resulting structures can seem impossible. Here are some images to
encourage you to experiment with non-breakable objects of your own.
Here are some ideas to try in the classroom for using counters to investigate number patterns.