The Problems of the Week (POW) are new fun and exciting maths challenges open to all children from Years 3 – 8. Children are invited and encouraged to try challenging maths problems as they are designed to make children think logically, creatively and mathematically.
Three POW will be released in the first week of every month. One POW will be aimed at all children in Year 3 and 4, another at Year 5 and 6 and the final POW aimed at Year 7 and 8.
This competition is completely optional so children should not feel pressured into attempting any of the problems. The POW are designed to be extremely challenging so if children fail to get the correct answer this is not a problem. The aim of the POW is for children to trust their own ability and challenge themselves to apply their understanding of mathematical concepts that they have learnt. We want children to feel comfortable just having a go at something that is outside of their comfort zone.
If your child would like to enter the competition and have a go at the POW:
- print off the relevant problem below;
- answer the question on the printed sheet or another piece of plain paper;
- workings out to be written in pencil and in full;
- a question sheet with just the answer written on will not be rewarded;
- calculators are not allowed for any of the questions at any time, not even to check answers are correct.
Completed solutions from Year 3 and 4 should be handed in as a hard copy or emailed to the form tutors, who will then pass them on to me. Completed solutions from Year 5 – 8 should be emailed directly to me, cjh@barrowhills.org. If any children are having trouble scanning their workings out, or taking a picture of them and attaching them to an email, they are more than welcome to bring in the hard copy and hand them to me.
The POW are designed to be completed individually by children and a chance for them to demonstrate their ability in answering challenging, multi-step mathematical problems. However, if your child is struggling, they are more than welcome to ask members of their family or friends to help them solve the problem. It is essential that children write on their answer sheet if they completed the POW independently or collaboratively.
All children who submit an answer sheet with their completed workings on and achieve the correct answer will receive two credits. I will nominate one child from each group to receive a green commendation and an individual prize for their work.
Mr Hooker
