Ideas for problem solving and mathematical reasoning using 2017 including:

  • what is the smallest number that cannot be made with exactly one each of 2, 0, 1 and 7: depends on what is allowed – here 1 to 37 can be made
  • in calculator display as above, 16 of 28 possible ‘lines’ are used to make the four digits: how many other 4 digit numbers from 1000 to 9999 also use 16 ‘lines’?
  • which, ‘match’ sequences (one is shown above) have a term with 2017 matches in it?
  • if you make a fir tree, as above with exactly 2017 coins what combinations of triangular ‘tree tops’ and ‘rectangular trunks’ make a ‘valid’ tree?
  • identify the 2017 term sequence which has the first 20 terms given above.

Questions and ideas here. Flipchart is now also available here.

Answers to the above and more are supplied in this spreadsheet. Feel free to use and adapt but please leave the links in place.

Math Forum provides some rules for this here (these have been followed above).