Simple Think of a Number Puzzles

Activity
Maths
Year 6
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Simple Think of a Number Puzzles
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Maths Resource Description

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"Think of a Number" puzzles are a delightful way to engage with basic arithmetic operations. These puzzles prompt you to start with an unknown number, perform a simple mathematical operation, and end with a known result. For instance, if you think of a number, add 1 to it, and the answer is 10, you can deduce that the original number was 9. Similarly, if you add 2 to a number and the result is 10, the starting number must have been 8. These puzzles come in various forms, including addition, subtraction, and multiplication. One example asks you to think of a number, multiply it by 7, and if the answer is 21, the original number is 3.

The puzzles also explore subtraction, where you begin with a number, subtract a given amount, and arrive at a known result. For example, if you subtract 1 from a number and the answer is 10, the number you first thought of was 11. In another case, if subtracting 4 gives you an answer of 10, then the starting number was 14. Multiplication puzzles increase the challenge, like when you're asked to multiply a number by 7 to get 70, indicating the original number was 10. These simple puzzles are not only entertaining but also serve as an excellent tool for practicing mental math and reinforcing understanding of inverse operations.