Pyramid Puzzle No2 6pc

The 3D spatial challenge that is the beginning of the task can be tried by students of any age. Solving it suggests a number pattern in the number of spheres at each level and that too can be accessed by quite young children. Seeing the pattern leads to predicting based on it and that's where things start to get more difficult. It's not so much predicting the number of balls in any given layer of a growing pyramid that is challenging, rather, it is predicting the total number of balls needed to make a pyramid of that size. Further, asking the question: Can I check it another way? could lead to using Proof by Mathematical Induction which is Year 12 content. - Mathematics Centre

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The Mathematics Task Centre Project has built an extensive problem solving activity around Pyramid Puzzle. You can find out more about this hands-on problem solving project here.

For further information about the teaching notes or the project you can contact Doug Williams. Visit his website at: http://www.blackdouglas.com.au