Inspirations
A mathematical masterpiece, imagining the workshop of M C Escher
Feb 212013
Feb 072013
To play this 2 player game from Transum you need to be able to calculate mean, median and range.
Jan 262013
Jan 262013
Number of players 2-4
Equipment. One pack of cards with picture cards removed.
Play
The black cards are positive numbers and the red cards are negative numbers. Ace is one. Each player is dealt 2 cards. Each player chooses whether to accept a third card from the dealer. The object is to make the total of the cards in your hand as close to zero as possible. The hand shown on the right is +7.
Each round the winner scores zero and losing players score the difference of their hand from zero. The pictured hand would score 7 points.
Play continues until one player reaches 50 points. The winner is the player with the least points.
Jan 212013
1. Write down your date of birth using 6 figures. So 25th December 1974 would be 25.12.74
2. Write down the last two digits of the year. (eg 74)
3. Divide by 4 and ignore the decimal part or remainder. (eg 74 ÷ 4 = 18)
4. Add together the answers to 1 and 2 (eg 74 + 18 =92)
5. Add the number of the day of your date of birth. (eg 92 + 25 =117)
6. Add a number according to your month of birth as follows.
JAN 1 (0 for Leap Year) How do you tell if a year is a leap year?
FEB 4 (3 for Leap Year) How do you tell if a year is a leap year?
MARCH 4
APRIL 0
MAY 2
JUNE 5
JULY 0
AUGUST 3
SEPT 6
OCT 1
NOV 4
DEC 6
(eg 117 + 6 for Dec = 123)
For years beginning 18.. add 2
For years beginning 19.. add 0
For years beginning 20.. add 6
(eg 123 +0 = 123)
Divide your answer by 7 and work out the remainder.
(eg 123÷ 7 = 17 remainder 4)
The remainder gives the day of the week you were born on.
1 = Sunday
2= Monday
3= Tuesday
4= Wednesday
5= Thursday
6 = Friday
7 = Saturday
(s0 25.12.74 was a Wednesday)
Links
Jan 212013
Leap years have an extra day in February, so there are 29 days in February and 366 days in a leap year. Lots of people believe that if a year is divisible by 4 it is a leap year. However there are some exceptions to this.
To work it out follow these instructions.
If the year divides exactly by 4 it is a leap year, UNLESS
it is a new century. (ends in 00)
If this is the case if it divides exactly by 400 it is a leap year, if not it is not.
Examples
Was 2012 a leap year?
2012÷4 = 503. YES!
Will 2018 be a leap year?
2018÷4 = 504 r2 NO!
Was 2000 a leap year?
2000÷400 = 5 YES!
Will 2100 be a leap year?
2100÷400 = 5 r100 NO!
Jan 212013
Ask your teacher (or somebody else) to
1. Write down your house number.
2. Double it.
3. Add the number of days in a week.
4. Multiply by 50.
5. Add your age.
6. Subtract the number of days in a year. (not a leap year)
7. Add 15
The answer is your teachers house number and their age!
Can you explain why this works?
Jan 202013
Here is a letter from the Coop Bank offering Mrs Givusabob a loan. Can you help her understand it?
Here is a worksheet version.
(MathswithGraham likes the Coop Bank because of their ethical principles, but borrowing from any bank can be very expensive.)
Jan 202013
Do you understand those letters that come through the door offering you a credit card? Have a go at this exercise to find out more.
Here is a worksheet version.
(I have used Sainsbury’s Bank as an example of a typical credit card provider- this exercise does not insinuate that Sainsbury’s Bank is any worse than other credit card providers.)
Jan 052013
Many people on a low income are not able to open a bank account.
If they need to borrow money they can be offered loans with massive rates of interest. This exercise looks at how to calculate interest rates and compares different ways of borrowing money.
The video mentions two businesses in particular. Wonga.com and Quick Quid both charge interest rates in excess of 2000%. Do you know of higher rates of interest? Please comment below to name and shame the loan sharks!
The same exercise is here in worksheet format.
Jan 042013
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation research into the minimum income standards for the UK. The Minimum Income Standard for the UK shows how much money people need, so that they can buy things that members of the public think that everyone in the UK should be able to afford.
- Figures are based on public views about a minimum standard that nobody should fall below.
- It does not show you what you require to meet all your individual needs, and is not suitable for use as a personal budgeting tool.
By entering a few details about your circumstances you can compare your income with the MIS, and see how this is made up. For instance my children are now all grown up and have left home, so I live with my wife. When I have entered details about my rent/mortgage. gas/electric/water bills etc it tells me the minimum income I require is £23,099. They break this down into how much I need for food, alcohol. council tax, clothing etc. It makes very interesting reading!
The picture shows the results for a single person.
Go to http://www.minimumincome.org.uk/ and enter your details to see what it suggests for your household.
Try this exercise to find out about a single persons minimum income. It will also help you to calculate percentages.
Jan 042013
Everybody is feeling the pinch at the moment. Try this interactive Money Saving Transport Quiz to see if you can save some cash! Here is the same exercise in worksheet format.
Jan 032013
Many people living in poverty are being ripped off with massive interest rates. People who can’t get bank accounts and are trying to survive on benefits sometimes see no alternative but to use door step lenders or shops that offer instant credit but then charge extortionate interest rates.
Try this quiz to learn more about shopping on credit.
Jan 022013
How do you work out how much electricity something uses?
This exercise will help you understand “units” of electricity and help you work out how much electricity different things use.
There is a worksheet version of the activity or an interactive version.
Dec 062012
Do you want to buy a book to help you prepare for your Functional Maths test? Why would you when you’ve got Maths with Graham! Well some people learn better with the aid of a book and this selection is a good way to make sure you have got to grips with all the important topics. All I ask is you buy from a reputable dealer that pays their taxes! The Level 1 book is out now and the Entry 3 and Level 2 books are following soon. Each topic is clearly explained with straightforward notes, tips and worked examples. There are also practice questions throughout the book, plus plenty of test-style questions (with answers) to help you prepare for the real thing. It is suitable for all the different exam boards.
M1SRA3 – New Functional Skills Maths Level 1 – Study & Test Practice (for 2020 & beyond)
This amazing Functional Skills book has everything students need to prepare for the Level 1 Maths test! It covers every exam board and every topic, including all the calculator and non-calculator skills needed for the new L1 Functional Skills specifications in 2019 and beyond. Everything’s explained in CGP’s easy-to-understand style, with examples and notes galore.
If you can’t afford the £7.99 the publishers are very generous and have actually put quite a few of the pages on-line, so it’s worth a look
Dec 032012
Here is a Roulette Simulator. It’s just as much fun as being in a casino, but it is completely free so you are not throwing away your money! Have a few goes and see how quickly you lose your money!
http://roulette-simulator.info/simulator/index.php?mode=simple&lang=en&sess=1354491584KU4ALN9E
Why does the bank always win? Probability shows us that the odds are stacked against the gambler.
Let me explain. Say we place a bet of £1 on Number 24. Assuming the roulette wheel is fair, there is one chance in 37 of this happening, because there are 37 different numbers on the roulette wheel. If you win, the bank pays you 35 times your bet. So if we do this 37 times we would expect to win once. We would lose £37 in bets and win back £36, so overall we lose £1!
A similar thing happens if you bet on pair (even) or impair (odd). Zero does not count as odd or even. So the probability of getting an even number is 18/37. The probability of an odd number is also 18/37. If you win the bank pays you the same amount as your bet. So if we play 37 times, each time betting £1, we would only expect to win 18 times. We would bet £37 and win £18 x 2 =£36, losing £1 overall.
Casinos make massive profits as they are always bound to win in the long run. True, very occasionally someone strikes lucky and has a big win, but the casino knows the odds are stacked in their favour.
Dec 022012
Nov 082012
Here are some Level 2 Practice Papers. You may need some help getting used to the different tools, especially if you’re not used to using computers. DON’T PANIC! Read the instructions carefully at the beginning and get someone to help you if you are struggling.
The navigation test shows you how to use all the different functions, so go through all of this carefully, step by step. Don’t forget to show all your working and justify your answers. If you use the calculator your working out will appear in the box next to it. Unfortunately the paper is not marked at the end, so when you have finished you will either need to print off each page or get your teacher to check your work.
At the beginning you don’t need to enter any details- just click “OK” and “Confirm”
http://media.cityandguilds.com/evolve/maths/level2/3748-620-paper-1/
http://media.cityandguilds.com/evolve/maths/level2/3748-620-paper-2/
http://media.cityandguilds.com/evolve/maths/level2/3748-620-paper-3/
Nov 082012
Try these Level 1 Practice Papers from City and Guilds. First try the navigation test as this shows you how to use all the different functions that you will need. Then try an actual test. Unfortunately it doesn’t mark it for you, so you will have to ask your teacher if you are getting them correct. You could print each page and get someone to check for you. Don’t forget it is vital to show all your working and justify your answers. Don’t worry about the “signing in” part- just leave everything blank and click “OK” and “confirm”. It is not always straightforward drawing the graphs and tables so it is vital you practice doing this before your actual exam.
Oct 192012
Here are my hands. Calculate the ratio of the length of the rectangle to the height by dividing 12 by 7.5.
Now work with a friend. One of you make the same shape with your hands, the other measures the length and width. Again calculate the ratio. Swop roles and do this again. You now have three ratios. What do you notice?
Here is the beginning of the Fibonacci Sequence. It is made by adding the two previous numbers together.
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21.
Work out the next 10 terms of the sequence and write them down.
Now calculate the ratio of each number compared to the number before it, like this. Round your answers to 4 decimal places.
1÷ 1 = 1
2÷ 1= 2
3÷ 2= 1.5
5÷ 3 = 1.6
8÷ 5 =1.6
13÷ 8 = 1.625
You continue for the next 10 terms. (Use a calculator!)
What do you notice?
You have discovered a very special number, called phi. Find out more about phi and the Golden Ratio here.