Maths Challenge Monday

Monday February 23rd

Junior Infants – Second Class

Doughnuts

Andrew decorated 20 biscuits to take to a party.

He lined them up and put icing on every second biscuit.

Then he put a cherry on every third biscuit.

Then he put a chocolate button on every fourth biscuit.

So there was nothing on the first biscuit.

How many other biscuits had no decoration? Did any biscuits get all three decorations?

Third Class – Sixth Class

An equilateral triangle can be dissected into four (equal) smaller equilateral triangles.

One equilateral triangle cut into 4 equilateral triangles of equal size.

Can you dissect an equilateral triangle into six smaller ones, not necessarily all the same size?

Is it possible to dissect a larger equilateral triangle into any number of smaller equilateral triangles?

Are there any numbers that are impossible?

Monday February 9th

Junior Infants – Second Class

dominoes

Third Class – Sixth Class

A triangle made of five pence pieces. The base is made of 4 coins, the next layer is made of 3 coins, the next layer is made of two coins, and the final layer is made of one coin. A hexagon made of blue circles in layers. The layers are: 3, 4, 5, 4, 3. A 4-by-3 grid of gold rings.

Here are some circles which are coins, counters, and rings. I used 10 coins, 19 counters, and 12 rings.

I wonder how many coins, counters, and rings I would need to make the next size up for each?

What is your idea of the ‘next size up’?

Monday February 2nd

Junior Infants – Second Class

Two dice: left die arranged with 2 dots on top, and right die arranged with 5 dots on top.

Here are two dice.

If you add up the dots on the top you’ll get 7.

Find two dice to roll yourself. Add the numbers that are on the top.

What other totals could you get if you roll the dice again?

Third Class – Sixth Class

We start with any four numbers (not zero!):

4 numbers in circles reading 4, 1, 2, 2 from left to right.

We then add them in pairs and place the total above them:

3 circles placed on top of the previous 4 circles, with one circle stacked between each two circles on the bottom row. From left to right they read 5, 3, 4.

And we then add in pairs the new numbers we just got:

Two more circles stacked on top of the previous 3 circles reading 8 and 7.

We do the same with those two numbers to get our final number:

A final circle placed on top of the previous 2 circles, reading 15.

You need to find four starting numbers to place at the bottom so that the top number will be 15.

Try to find as many sets of four starting numbers as you can.

Think about good ways to do this. Maybe use a system!

What little change can you make to the rules to explore again?

What new ideas can you think of to make this different? Explore those!

Monday January 26th

Junior Infants – Second Class

Third Class – Sixth Class

Headline Story

Monday January 12th

Junior Infants – Second Class

Third Class – Sixth Class

Monday January 5th

Junior Infants – Second Class

On a farm there were some hens and sheep.

Altogether there were 8 heads and 22 feet.

How many hens were there?

What other numbers of feet are possible if there are 8 heads?

Create your own problem like this for a friend to try.

Third Class – Sixth Class

Anna and Becky were playing a game. They put one purple cube and two yellow cubes into a bag.

First Anna picked a cube out of the bag without looking, then Becky picked one out.

If the two cubes the girls picked out were the same colour, Anna won the game. If they picked out two differently coloured cubes, then Becky was the the winner.

Is this a fair game? Explain your answer.

Christmas Week Challenges

Click on the link below to enjoy some festive maths puzzles!

https://www.mathsweek.ie/2025/00resources/advent-maths-calendar-2025/

Monday December 8th

Junior Infants – Second Class

B&W Santas Workshop spot the difference activity

Third Class – Sixth Class

On a practice flight, the reindeer flew a total of 30 km.

If it took them 15 minutes to fly that distance, what was their average speed?

Give your answer in km/h. Explain how you got your answer.

Santa Claus flying across the night sky in his sleigh with reindeer – watercolor Christmas clipart set. This clipart set captures Santa Claus flying across the night sky in his reindeer sleigh, illuminated by a glowing full moon above a peaceful snowy Christmas village. The watercolor style creates a warm, festive atmosphere that brings holiday magic to all your creative projects.