CanDo21 Mats - 9x9

The CanDo21 Mats offer a variety of mathematical exercises designed to deepen students' understanding of key concepts such as place value, operations with whole numbers and decimals, and the properties of square numbers. The activities are structured to engage students in a range of tasks that involve manipulating numbers, visualising mathematical relationships, and applying logical reasoning. For example, the mats challenge students to explore place value by identifying 'neighbours' or closely related values, both in whole numbers and decimals, and to understand the effects of doubling or halving numbers.

One of the mats focuses on the concept of square numbers, prompting students to discover why 81 is considered a square number by relating it to the area of a square with a side length of 9cm. The exercises encourage students to derive the square of 9 through multiplication and to explore different mathematical operations that result in 81. They are also asked to scale numbers up and down, use arrays and number lines, and solve problems involving fractions and division. The tasks include real-world applications, such as calculating the number of barrels that can be filled with a certain volume of water, thereby reinforcing the practical significance of mathematical understanding. The varied questions and prompts on the mats are designed to stimulate critical thinking and to help students make connections between different areas of mathematics.