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...

Using a set of simple ‘swap puzzles’, this CS4FN activity helps students to learn, fundamentally, what an algorithm is and how they can be made more efficient. Students are encouraged to create algorithms for solving the puzzles which can be used by future players to win, with no understanding of the game, in as...

These technical briefs focus on low cost approaches to accessing energy. This is vital to health and well being and low costs are particularly important to poorer communities in the developing world.

This resource focuses on some research data into the prevention of anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) injury. The activities included in this resource will enable students to develop their ability to evaluate claims based on science through critical analysis of the methodology, evidence and conclusions, both...

This unplugged activity from the CS4FN team uses two examples – an insulting computer and one that can play snap – to look at simple computer programming, flow of control and logic. Everything is provided for this front-of-class activity, which would act as an effective starter for a lesson on programming concepts...

In this Core Maths task students are introduced to a new species of jellyfish that has been found off the Sussex coast and nicknamed ‘jellyblubbers’ by local people. It impossible to count how many ‘jellyblubbers’ are present, but some data has been collected and is being analysed for the purpose of answering the...

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 Core Maths activity students are invited to explore a range of casino based games to understand the probability, and likelihood of winning, when gambling.

The secret of winning: Teacher Guide
This teacher guidance introduces the reasoning behind the task, features of the...

In this Core Maths task students explore the question ‘On average, how many throws does it take to throw a six?’ Through this activity students can gain an understanding of ‘expectation’ as well as learning how to calculate summary statistics when the data is given in a frequency table.

Throwing a...

This short task contains two questions on applying trigonometry.

The topics covered are:

• Linking sine, cosine and tangent
• Using Pythagoras to determine a length in a triangle and then give the tangent of an angle in surd form
• Using the Pythagorean identity sin2(x) + cos2(x) = 1...

This activity examines the use of percentages in research and the media. The examples used focus on the distinction between absolute and relative percentages and percentage changes. The need for improved education in the area of communication of risk is at the heart of...

This resource pack can be used to highlight issues such as global water scarcity, the challenges people face when sourcing water and maintaining a water supply in developing countries and the role of the engineers in solving these problems.

Following a quick quiz, a presentation introduces the scale of local...