In this resource students are challenged to determine the equation of the line that goes through a given coordinate point and is also tangential to a circle centred on the origin. The final step is to determine the radius of the circle.

The solution involves determining the gradient of the tangent and also...

From the Integrating Mathematical Problem Solving project by Mathematics in Education and Industry (MEI), this activity shows how, when introducing a new way of doing things, it is useful to model how it is likely to work. When comparing the value of money over a period of years, inflation needs to be taken into...

From the Integrating Mathematical Problem Solving project by Mathematics in Education and Industry (MEI), this activity shows how changing the assumptions which a model is based on can change the way it behaves. It is important to compare predictions from a model to what we know happens in real life. This unit...

The Nuffield Foundation provide this resource which enables students to carry out significance tests on proportions and test hypotheses about successful applicants to higher education. The data provided on information sheet A is simulated but similar to real data available on the UCAS website. Information sheet B...

This activity enables students to consolidate their knowledge of the properties of two dimensional shapes by working with a variety of stained glass designs. The activity is based on a real life context and designed to aid class discussion about 2D shapes and symmetry. The images in the slideshow can be used to...

This resource, from the Maths Careers website, explores decimal numbers, predicting terms of a sequence and geometrical pictures and was produced in conjunction by More Maths Grads and the Queen Mary University of London.

The activity invites students find the maths hidden in everyday images, before...

In this resource, students consider whether two Poisson distributions can be added together to form a third Poisson distribution. The initial, discussion generating proposition is backed up by a proof. The resource also contains an accompanying spreadsheet on which students can run simulations to test the result....

In this resource students deal with an optimisation problem involving perimeter and area based on a Greek mythological story about a princess. She wants to maximise the area contained in a given perimeter and decides on a circle. The concept of the Isoperimetric...

In this presentation and collection of student worksheets a diagram shows a square and three right angled triangles, with each shape sharing a common side. Some of the lengths are given in surd form, from which students have to find the area of the square.

The solution involves the use of Pythagoras’ theorem...

This activity, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), requires students to design a magnetic tool holder for a robot surgeon.

It is intended that students will:
• Appreciate the potential of...

This activity, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), requires students to compete to make the strongest electromagnetic tool holder for a surgeon's robotic arm.

It is intended that students will be...

In this resource the time is given for a train to pass a signal. The time is also given for a train to completely pass through a tunnel. It is assumed that the train is travelling at constant speed. The task is to calculate the length of the train.

Solving the problem requires the use of the formula for...

A triangle is split into two parts by drawing a line from one side to the base of the triangle. The ratio in which the sides are split is shown for each of the sides connected by the line. The task is to find what multiple of the smaller triangle is the larger triangle.

The ‘something in common’ between each...

In this resource the side lengths of a triangle are given. The challenge is to find the ratio of the product of each of the tangents, divided by the sum of each of the tangents.

Each student worksheet contains a different triangle, but the answers all have something in common.

The solution involves...