Mr.P’s Parent Maths Problem of the Week

Hello parents,

Thank you to everyone who had a go at this symbols puzzle. It’s a nice example of using logical deduction to uncover hidden numbers.

We are told that the three groups of symbols represent three consecutive positive integers. Looking at the pattern of symbols carefully, the second and third ‘numbers’ share the same first digit, which means the numbers must be close together but still keep that leading symbol unchanged. This strongly suggests the numbers are around a hundreds boundary, where the tens and ones digits change but the hundreds digit stays the same. By testing possibilities that fit the pattern of the symbols, the only sequence that works is 199, 200, 201.

From this we can match each symbol with its digit: the square represents 1, the diamond represents 9, the heart represents 2, and the triangle represents 0. The three numbers written are therefore 199, 200, and 201. The next number in the sequence would be 202, which in symbols becomes heart–triangle–heart. This corresponds to option E.

Well done to everyone who got this answer. 

Solutions will be published in the following week’s edition of the Barrow Hills Bulletin.

Problem 7: 27 February 2026

Evita wants to place the numbers 1 to 8 into the squares of the grid below, using each number exactly once.

Some numbers have already been placed: 3, 4, and 8.

She wants the grid arranged so that:

• • the sum of the numbers in each row is the same, and
  • the sum of the numbers in each column is the same.

What number should Evita write in the green square?