Resources by University of Nottingham

Expressing geometric properties with equations

This resource features five short tasks that involve expressing geometric properties with equations.

The topics covered are:

• Finding the equation of a circle.
• Finding the volume of a cone.
• Finding the equation of a line given a point and the equation of a parallel line.
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Expressions and equations

This resource features ten short tasks relating to expressions and equations.

An example gives a series of expressions and poses the question as to which has the greatest value when a negative number is substituted.

This task is from the Mathematics Assessment Resource Service, a collaboration between...

Fencing

This resource features a task that explores setting up and solving simultaneous equations in a practical context.

Jon is buying fencing for his yard. Prices are given for different combinations of posts and panels. Students use information in the task to set up and then solve a solve a pair of simultaneous...

Fuel consumption: buying cars

This resource requires problem solving using skills to tackle a real-world problem that involves rates of change. In particular, it requires students to create, compare, and evaluate different representations of functions.

Students are given the average fuel consumption for three cars. Two people switch cars...

Functions

This resource features five short tasks that involves work on using functions in a practical situations.

An example task involves modelling the number of helpers needed to prepare for a fete given different rates at which each can make varies sizes of cakes.

This task is from the Mathematics...

Functions

This resource features a task that involves work on both quadratic and linear functions.

Eight points are shown on a coordinate grid. Students must identify four points belonging to the linear function, four points belonging to the quadratic function, and then in each case determine an equation that fits the...

Generalising patterns: table tiles

This resource requires problem solving skills to identify linear and quadratic relationships in a realistic context.

Students investigate covering square table tops with three types of tile; square tiles, half tiles, and quarter tiles. They create examples and then identify the resulting sequences.  

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Generalizing patterns: the difference of two squares

This resource requires problem solving using skills in forming and factorising expressions.

Students begin by working out numerical examples where a number can be written as the difference of two square numbers. They need to choose systematic ways to collect and organise data, and examine it for patterns....

Generating polynomials from patterns

This resource develops the concept of manipulation and calculation with polynomials. Particular attention is paid to switching between algebraic and visual representations of polynomial expressions.  

Students focus on sequences generated from shading in parts of ‘dot’ diagrams. As an example, (n^2...

How old are they?

This resource consists of four short tasks.

Students begin by writing expressions about the individual ages of three people using information from the task. Additional information is then given about the total age of the three people and the task is to find out how old each person is. A final task involves...