Fractions

In the "Get the Buzz! Problem Solving for Key Stage 2" activity book by Liz Hopkins, students are challenged to apply their understanding of fractions to solve practical problems. For example, in one problem, Stan is saving to buy a computer. He saves 1/4 of the price from his pocket money, his aunt contributes 1/9, and he earns another 1/6 from babysitting. With the final £36 provided by his dad, students must calculate the total cost of the computer. Similarly, Archie is aiming to buy a bike, and through contributions of 1/3 from his dad, 1/8 from car washing, and 1/4 from birthday money, plus an additional £14 from his Gran, students must work out the bike's price. These exercises are designed to strengthen students' abilities to work with fractions in real-world contexts.

Another set of problems encourages students to delve deeper into mathematical concepts such as remainders and sequences. Danny has a collection of dice that he needs to divide equally. When attempting to divide them into halves, thirds, quarters, fifths, and sixths, he consistently has one die left over. Students must figure out the smallest possible number of dice he has. In a different challenge, students must find three consecutive numbers that add up to 108, four consecutive even numbers totalling 100, and two multiples of six that differ by 18 and add up to 126. These problems test students' reasoning and calculation skills, fostering their analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities.