Creativity in Maths

Dave Gale

Table of Contents

Contents
Introduction

Page 1
Page 2

The Problems
Sweets in a Box
Painting Between the Lines
Four Card Fun
Caterpillars
Probability Game
Hints, Guidance and Links
Links to Schemes of Work
Inspiration and Discussion
Points
Links/References

Page 4
..
Page 5
..
Page 8
..
Page 9
..
Page 10
..

Page 11
Page 22
Page 25
Page 26

Introduction

To discover the joy of banging your head against a mathematical

wall, and then discovering that there may be ways of either going
around or over that wall.
P43 (Olkin and Schoenfeld, 1994)
Real mathematics is both beautiful and creative yet as teachers, we
can often find this difficult to convey to students. While the formula
for the area of a trapezium can be derived and shown to have a
satisfying sense of rightness it is perhaps too simplistic to be
considered beautiful. Also, the vast majority of maths that gets
taught in school is already well understood by the teacher so the
student is unlikely to discover something that their teacher did not
already know. This can lead to students believing that maths has all
been done already and there is nothing more to be found. It is
understandable why students and many non-mathematicians find it
hard to equate maths with creativity.

This booklet
Offers some ideas for allowing students to be creative within the
maths classroom but specifically within the maths they try. It is not
my intention to have your students making endless pretty display
material (although there is always some scope for that), rather that
your students should have a chance to explore mathematical ideas
and create new problems for themselves.
Further, as we all know, any material provided to teachers need to
be

easily accessible,
user friendly,
tried and tested,
helpfully guided.

I would expect you to be able to use the problems/puzzles compiled

in this booklet the next time you have a suitable class. You can
easily do that by simply displaying or photocopying the initial
problem pages and allowing your students to have a go. If this
booklet simply introduces you to some new, interesting maths
puzzles you can use in the classroom, then Im happy with that. If,
however, you find the comments and hints & tips useful and are
inspired to look for creative opportunities in your lessons then so
much the better.

What is creativity in Maths?

Tangrams and origami certainly have their place in allowing the use
of mathematics to produce creative objects. There are also
numerous maths songs and videos available on the internet but
neither of these approaches are what Im aiming for.
I want students to be creative in their use of maths when solving
puzzles or when creating their own puzzles. It can be quite a
creative leap for a student to discover that there is something
worth investigating in a puzzle or that a conjecture is worth
following up. The overriding theme for this booklet is allowing
students to start an investigation and once theyve reached certain
points, ask themselves the question:
WHAT IF .?
Hopefully by reading my reflections on the puzzles, youll see how
this develops.

Using this booklet

I recommend that you look at the problems/puzzles as they are
presented and select a class you think they might work with. For at
least one of the puzzles, try to be brave and go into the classroom
without having worked through the problem first. You can still look
at the hints and tips where I provide suggestions for developing the
lessons without giving the answers. Allow students the opportunity
to see you working through a problem while they do the same. This
way, you can model good investigational practice and provide your
students the opportunity to develop their mathematical thinking.
The majority of the problems in this booklet have been borrowed
from other places and are not my creations. Ive referenced original
versions where possible but otherwise, Im just bringing to your
attention some great puzzles and offering my thoughts and
reflections to help you utilize them in class.

An important message
I hope its self-explanatory:

Sweets in a Box

Problem | Teachers' Notes | Hint | Solution | Printable page |

Stage: 2 Challenge Level:

A sweet manufacturer has decided to design some gift boxes for a new kind of
sweet.
Each box is to contain 36 sweets placed in lines in a single layer in a
geometric shape without gaps or fillers.
How many different shaped boxes can you design?

The sweets come in 4 colours, 9 of each colour.

Arrange the sweets so that no sweets of the same colour are adjacent to (that
is 'next to') each other in any direction. In the diagram below none of the
squares marked x can have a red sweet in them.

Arrange the sweets in some of the boxes you have drawn.

Possible extensions:
Now try making boxes of 36 sweets in 2, 3 or 4 layers.
Can you arrange the sweets, 9 each of 4 colours, so that none of the same
colour are on top of each other as well as not adjacent to each other in any
direction?
See if you can invent a good way of showing your arrangement.
Try different numbers of sweets such as 24 or 60 in each box.

Painting Between the Lines

Problem | Teachers' Notes | Hint | Solution | Printable page |

Stage: 3 and 4 Challenge Level:

In abstract or computer generated art, a real object is often represented by a

simplified set of shapes, lines or curves.
Take a look at the picture below:

(Photo: Przemyslaw "Blueshade" Idzkiewicz)

The picture could be represented in an abstract way using straight lines:

If you wanted to describe mathematically the line segments used to draw this
picture, all you would need to do is decide where to put the axes and then
work out the equations of all the straight lines.
Here is a set of instructions to create an abstract representation of another
well known landmark (download as a Word or PDF file).

A Straight-Line Landmark
7

Draw a set of axes with x from 0 to 16 and y from 0 to 25.

Now draw the following straight lines between the given

values of x:

a) y = 2x 2 between x = 1 and x = 5
b) y = 4x 12 between x = 5 and x = 6
c) y = 11x 54 between x = 6 and x = 7
d) y = 2x + 9 between x = 7 and x = 8
e) y = 2x + 41 between x = 8 and x = 9
f) y = 11x + 122 between x = 9 and x = 10
g) y = 4x + 52 between x = 10 and x = 11
h) y = 2x + 30 between x = 11 and x = 15
i) y = 23 between x = 7 and x = 9
j) y = 12 between x = 6 and x = 10
k) y = 10 between x = 7.5 and x = 8.5
l) y = 8 between x = 5 and x = 11
m) y = 4x 20 between x = 7 and x = 7.5
n) y = 4x + 44 between x = 8.5 and x = 9
o) y = 4 between x = 6 and x = 10
p) y = 2x 8 between x = 4 and x = 6
q) y = 2x + 24 between x = 10 and x = 12
What have you got?

Painting Between the Lines - continued

Now try this for yourself - choose an image, perhaps a photograph of a

famous location, or a famous painting.
Think how it might be broken down into shapes or segments of lines.
Can you create a set of instructions for your picture?
Once you have created your instructions, give them to a friend to follow.

Possible extension:
Can you devise a way to describe mathematically each region so that you can
give instructions for colouring your image?
Please send us any of your creations (together with your instructions).

Four Card Fun

Using the cards:

Create as many sums as you can that look like this:

How many different sums can you find?

How many different answers do you get?
What is the biggest?
What is the smallest?
How could you check that youve got them all?

Now change the puzzle in some way. Based on what youve found out as
you investigated the first puzzle, ask yourself What if I try ?
Investigate your new puzzle and make notes on what youve found.
Comparing to the first set of questions above, what is different now and
what is the same?

10

Caterpillars

Here is a six-segment mathematical caterpillar:

You pick the starting number to go in his head.

This must be under 100.
To get the next numbers, you follow these simple
rules:
EVEN
ODD
=1

Halve it
Add one
Stop

Can you find a

caterpillar that
is longer than
the one shown?

How long is the

longest
caterpillar
possible?

What is the
shortest
caterpillar
possible?

What have you

noticed?

11

Probability Game

What are the possible outcomes?

How do you know youve found them all?
Can you find a systematic way of writing them down?
What is the probability of winning this game?
Would you play it?

How could you change this game?

What if
How many beads?
How many colours and how many of each colour?
How many get picked out?
What are the win conditions?
What else could you change?
What is the chance of winning your new game?

12

Hints, Guidance and Links

Some of these hints and guidance are taken from the NRich website.
Some are my own lines of thought and findings.
Ive deliberately avoided giving you the answers (where they exist).

Sweets in a Box
Original Problem
Go to www.nrich.maths.org/84
Or just search for Sweets in a Box at www.nrich.maths.org
Are there any simplifying assumptions necessary (size/uniformity of
sweet)?
Counters could be provided for lower ability (kinaesthetic).
Have you got all the possible rectangular designs?
Encourage non-rectangular shapes. Put different sorts of paper out to
use: Isometric, Square dotty, blank.
How could the puzzle be changed? What if
How many ways can it be coloured? Will you method work for other
layouts?
Are there any amounts of colours that make the task impossible? (ie can
it be done with 3 colours, 5 colours?)
Possible link to the four colour theorem.
What if the sweets are triangular?
Different tray sizes: Link to Least Common Multiple and Prime Factor
Decomposition.
Could they make the tray? (Nets, Max Box problem.)

13

Painting Between the Lines

Original Problem
Go to www.nrich.maths.org/7031
Or just search for Painting Between the Lines at www.nrich.maths.org
Tracing paper! Or a computer image program with a layers facility.
A nice link between art and maths. Lots of very striking pictures are quite
simple.
How can you use lines to create 3Dness (think vanishing points)?
Look at steepness of lines and their equation.
(Very) Able learners could use curves.
Shading extension allows discussion of inequalities.
Careful consideration of origin positioning and scale of axes is required.
Give students plenty of time to create their image with lines. Homework?
Once students have created their instructions, another student can try to
recreate the image without having seen the original.
All students could be given the same photo/image and challenged to
create an abstract version with instructions. Ask your art department to
judge which is the best abstract representation of the original.
Draw out thoughts about positive and negative gradients.
These are examples of pictures that were drawn:

14

Big Ben

Empire State

Painting Between the Lines - examples

15

16

Arc de Triomphe

Painting Between the Lines - examples

Statue of Liberty

17

Painting Between the Lines

Draw axes for x between 0 and 14 and y

between 0 and 17

y= 32 -2x

between

y=8

between

x = 7.5

between

y = 2x - 15

between

y=7

between

y = 2x

between

y=5

between

y = 15 - 2x

between

x
=
x
=
y
=
x
=
x
=
x
=
x
=
x
=

and

and

7
1
0

and

and

and

and

and

and

x
=
x
=
y
=
x
=
x
=
x
=
x
=
x
=

12
12
8
11
11
8
10
5

Draw axes for x and y between

0 and 17

x = 10

between

y= 0

y=x+2

between

x= 1

y = 18 - x

between

x= 11

x=6

between

y= 0

y = 24 - x

between

x= 8

y = 11

between

x= 11

y = 2x + 1

between

x= 3

y=7

between

x= 11

9
1
0
1
1
1

y = 11

between

x= 3

y=3

between

x= 1

y=x+8
y=7

between
between

x= 3
x= 3

18

an
d
an
d
an
d
an
d
an
d
an
d
an
d
an
d
an
d
an
d
an
d
an

y= 3
x= 5
x= 15
y= 3
x= 13
x= 13
x= 5
x= 13
x= 5
x= 6
x= 8
x= 5

2
1
3
1
4

y = 33 - 2x

between

x= 11

y=3

between

x= 10

d
an
d
an
d

x= 13
x= 15

What have you got?

19

Painting Between the Lines

Draw axes for x between 0 and 26 and y
between 0 and 12

y = 12

between

x = 18

between

y=3

between

y=3

between

y=4

between

y=7

between

x = 22

between

y = 31 - x

between

x = 26

between

10

x=8

between

11

y = 5x - 3

between

12

y=2

between

13

x=4

between

14

x=7

between

15

y = 28 - x

between

16

y=2

between

17

y=2

between

18

x = 19

between

19

y=4

between

20

x=4

between

21

y=1

between

22

x = 21

between

23

y=1

between

x
=
y
=
x
=
x
=
x
=
x
=
y
=
x
=
y
=
y
=
x
=
x
=
y
=
y
=
x
=
x
=
x
=
y
=
x
=
y
=
x
=
y
=
x
=

20

and

x= 16

and

y= 4

and

x= 7

19

and

x= 21

and

x= 8

21

and

x= 24

and

y= 4

24

and

x= 26

and

y= 5

and

y= 4

and

x= 3

and

x= 18

and

y= 4

and

y= 3

16

and

x= 21

and

x= 4

22

and

x= 26

and

y= 3

18

and

x= 22

and

y= 3

and

x= 7

and

y= 3

19

and

x= 21

What have you got?

21

Painting Between the Lines

Draw axes for x between 0 and 17 and y between 0
and 10

y=6

between

y=3

between

x = 13

between

y=3

between

x=2

between

y=x-8

between

y=x+6

between

y=x-1

between

9
1
0
1
1
1
2
1
3
1
4
1
5
1
6
1
7
1
8
1
9
2
0
2
1
2
2
2
3
2
4

x=7

between

y=6

between

y=1

between

x=3

between

x = 10

between

y=3

between

x=9

between

x = 14

between

y=5

between

x=6

between

y=6

between

y=9

between

x = 10

between

x = 14

between

x = 13

between

x=9

between

x
=
x
=
y
=
x
=
y
=
x
=
x
=
x
=
y
=
x
=
x
=
y
=
y
=
x
=
y
=
y
=
x
=
y
=
x
=
x
=
y
=
y
=
y
=
y
=
22

and

and

and

and

5
1
5

and

and

and

and

and

and

and

1
1
3

and

and

5
1
3

and

5
1
3

and

and

and

and

and

and

and

and

and

and

x
=
x
=
y
=
x
=
y
=
x
=
x
=
x
=
y
=
x
=
x
=
y
=
y
=
x
=
y
=
y
=
x
=
y
=
x
=
x
=
y
=
y
=
y
=
y
=

10
10
3
7
6
17
3
10
6
3
15
6
3
14
6
6
14
6
14
17
6
3
6
3

2
5
2
6
2
7
2
8
2
9
3
0
3
1
3
2
3
3
3
4
3
5
3
6
3
7

y=5

between

x=6

between

y=2

between

y=3

between

y=7

between

y=2

between

x=2

between

y=6

between

y = x - 14

between

x=3

between

y=5

between

y=5

between

x=7

between

x
=
y
=
x
=
x
=
x
=
x
=
y
=
x
=
x
=
y
=
x
=
x
=
y
=

and

and

and

and

1
1
3

and

and

6
1
5

and

and

and

and

and

and

and

x
=
y
=
x
=
x
=
x
=
x
=
y
=
x
=
x
=
y
=
x
=
x
=
y
=

7
3
7
3
15
14
3
7
17
3
3
10
3

What have you got?

23

Four Card Fun

Original Problem
Unknown but I collected it from Helen Pemberton at Blurton High school.
Use cards with numbers on for weaker students (kinaesthetic).
Encourage simple changes.
Encourage perseverance at the task theyve set themselves.
Look for patterns in those simple changes to build to more complex
changes.
Is the sum 47 + 13 the same as 13 + 47 : discuss.
Link to Factorial notation. 4 cards leads to 4! possible sums.
Looking at the ways to change one sum but still keep the same answer:

Link to transformations. Are these sums (partial) reflections of each

other?
What happens if you rotate a sum?

24

Caterpillars
Original Problem
I believe I collected this from my course tutor Dave Miller during my PGCE
at Keele.
Encourage competition. Ive seen an 8 long caterpillar here. Anyone
beaten that?
Between the class, have they tried them all?
Are there good/poor starting numbers?
If youve tried 97, what other numbers have you effectively tested?
Do they really all end in 4, 2, 1?
What if you work in reverse? Start at the tail.
Student: Can I start with 100?
Teacher: You tell me.
What if you start with 3.5?
What if you start with minus 4?
Is zero odd, even, both or neither?
What is an even number?

25

26

Cater
pillar
Exam
ples

27

Probability Game
Original Problem
To the best of my knowledge, I came up with this idea independently but
Im sure there are other versions.
Relate to fun fair games. They are often rigged so that the person running
the stall has much more of a chance of winning than may at first be
thought.
Depending on the year group, make use of tree diagrams or just
experimental outcomes.
For experimental games, use multilink cubes.
Try going back to the original game and state the same rules/win
condition but cover up the beads in the box. Are people happy to play or
do they want to know whats in the box first?
The game needs to be appealing to punters.
If linking to tree diagrams, encourage them to think how their game
choices will affect their diagram and its complexity.
May have to boycott some ideas. For example, 100 red, 100 green, 100
yellow, 1 black. Pick out two, if they match you win. Beads are kept out
for the subsequent games (without replacement) for the remainder of the
day. If you pick the Black bead, then you win some big prize. Lovely idea
but too complex!
Here are some games/ideas my students came up with:
10 red, 10
purple, 10
yellow, 10 black.

5 red and 10 white plastic cases.

Pick 3. Win if:

RRR = open the cases, take the gobstoppers

inside.

Pick 3.

PRY (any order)

PPP
Black = instant
lose

1 to play. 3 bags. One is chosen at random.

One contains 1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze and 7
black.

50 yellow, 20
blue, 10 purple.

Other two contain 10 black.

Pick 2.

Gold = 10, Silver = 5, Bronze = 3.

Matching wins
an amount
determined by
the colour.

Pick one bead.

Include a rainbow
ball. Picking this
28
means you double
your win.

Picking a black ball

means you get
squirted with water!

Links to Schemes of Work

Problems that have been used in KS3 can often be revisited in KS4.
Levels and Grades are approximate. The investigative nature of the tasks
probably raises the grades shown by one or two levels.

Key Stage 3
Proble
m
Sweets
in a Box

Painting
Between
the Lines

SMTP
ref
Y7.
SSM1
Y7. Alg3
Y8.
SSM1
Y9.
SSM1
Y9. Alg4
Y7. Alg3

Y7. Alg3
Y8. Alg3
Y9. Alg4

Four
Card Fun

Caterpill
ars
Probabili
ty Game

Y7.
Num1
Y8.
N/A1
Y7.
Num1
Y7. HD1

Y7. HD3
Y8. HD1

Y8. HD1
Y8. HD1

KS3 link
Use 2D representations to visualise 3D
shapes.
Recognise and use factors.
Investigate in a range of contexts: shape
and space.
Explore connections in mathematics across a
range of contexts: shape and space.
Use the prime factor decomposition of a
number.
Generate coordinate pairs that satisfy a
simple linear rule; plot the graphs of simple
linear functions where y is given in terms of
x.
Recognise straight line graphs parallel to the
x or y axis.
Recognise that equations of the form
y=mx+c correspond to straight-line graphs.
Given values for m and c, find the gradient
of lines given by equations of the form
y=mx+c
Use standard column procedure to add and
subtract whole numbers.
Add, subtract integers

Understand negative numbers as positions

on a number line.
Collect data from a simple experiment and
record in a frequency table; estimate
probabilities based on this data
Compare experimental and theoretical
probabilities in simple cases.
Find and record all possible mutually
exclusive outcomes for two successive
events in a systematic way.
Understand that repeating experiments may
produce different outcomes
Understand that increasing the number of

29

Leve
l
6
4

4
6
6

3
3

4
4
5
5
6

5
5

Y9. HD2

trials leads to a better estimate of

probability.
Use the vocabulary of probability

KS3 cont
All

Y7

Y8

Y9

Represent problems mathematically.

Make correct use of symbols.
Understand the significance of a counterexample.
Solve more demanding problems and
investigate in a range of contexts: number.
Identify the necessary information to solve a
problem.
Use correct notation.
Use logical argument to establish the truth
of a statement.
Suggest extensions to problems, conjecture
and generalise; identify exceptional cases or
counter-examples.
Generate fuller solutions to increasingly
demanding problems.
Present a concise, reasoned argument, using
symbols, diagrams and related explanatory
text.

Notes:
SMTP = Sample Medium Term
Plan

HD = Handling data

Alg = algebra

SSM = Shape, Space and

Measure

Num = Number

N/ A = Number/algebra

Where a phrase is repeated in a later part of the same year groups plan,
Ive only included the first instance. Eg, if something is listed in Alg1 and
Alg3, Ive just listed Alg1.

30

Key Stage 4 AQA GCSE

Grades shown are approximate.
In the numbering below (taken from the AQA specification):
N = Number and Algebra
G = Geometry
S = Statistics
The numbers reference specific parts of the specification. If there is an h
after the numbers, it is a higher tier skill.
Proble
m
Sweets
in a Box

KS4 links

Painting
Between
the Lines

N6.3 Use the conventions for coordinates in the

plane and plot points in all four quadrants
N6.4 Recognise and plot equations that correspond
to straight-line graphs in the coordinate plane,
including finding their gradients
N6.5h Understand the roles that m and c play in
y=mx+c

Four
Card Fun

N1.3 Understand and use number operations

G
upwar
ds

Caterpill
ars
Probabili
ty Game

No explicit GCSE links

N1.6 Concepts of factors, multiples, HCF, LCM, PFD

G1.4 Recall the properties of quadrilaterals
G2.4 Use 2D representations of 3D shapes

S5.1 Understand and use vocabulary of probability

S5.3 List all outcomes of two successive events in a
systematic way
S5.5h Know when to add or multiply probabilities
S5.6h Use tree diagrams to represent outcomes of
compound events recognising when events are

24

Grade
s
C
E to C
E/D

C/B

F/G
E
C
A*

independent
S5.7 Compare experimental and theoretical
probabilities
All

Functional elements:
Representing
Analysing
Interpreting
These problems would be considered AO3 (or
above!)
Quality of Written Communication (QWC)
Clearly there is significant need for QWC within
these problems.

25

Inspiration and Discussion Points

Just some ideas:

to see what your classes come up with as a solution/approach,

to capture some of my thoughts through this process.

What is creativity?
Teacher A:

Recognising that theres a

question to be asked and choosing
a line of enquiry is creative.

Teacher B:
maths.

No. Thats just what you do in

Teacher A:

Exactly! Maths is creative.

What if you have a

variety of balls
available?
How do you run a test
to decide which is
best?

Could my students
use the word
conjecture more
often?

What would a
mathematical cartoon
look like?

Do my students ever
see me
struggling/persevering
with maths?

Have I got wall

space where I
could put
problems that we
keep coming back
to?

Jo has three numbers which she

adds in pairs. When she does
that, she gets 11, 17 and 22.

When asked to rate themselves on I

feel confident that I can tackle new
problems, University maths
students ranked themselves among
the lowest.

What did she start with?

How would I solve this?
How would my students solve
this?

Am I allowing my students an
opportunity to try their own ways of
solving problems or do I always steer
them down my preferred methods?

How would my faculty solve

this?

26

Links/references

Books
Further Mathematical Diversions,

Martin Gardiner

How Long is a Piece of String?

Wyndham

Rob Eastaway and Jeremy

How many Socks make a Pair?

Rob Eastaway

Mathematical Puzzles and Diversions, Martin Gardiner

Professor Stewarts Cabinet of Mathematical Curiosities,

Ian Stewart

Professor Stewarts Horde of Mathematical Treasures,

Stewart
Why do Buses Come in Threes?
Wyndham

Ian

Rob Eastaway and Jeremy

Websites
www.nrich.maths.org
www.rsscse.co.uk

Nrich maths resources

Royal Statistical Society

www.tes.co.uk/resources Times Educational Supplement - resources

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