KEY STAGE 2

GRADES 3-5

Mathematical

Treasure Hunt

Mathematical Treasure Hunt

Instructions for Teachers
Introduction

Preparation

The mathematical treasure hunt is a great activity for fun and engaging mathematics lessons: the pupils follow a trail of clues and mathematical problems around
the school site; each clue contains a hint to where the next clue is hidden.

First choose 10 locations in your school where to hide the the different questions
(see previous table). Either use the prepared clues (pages 910) or come up with
your own clues (pages 1112) to lead to these questions. Print the clues once for
each team.

This document includes clues and questions intended for Key Stage 2 (UK) or
grades 68 (US).
The treasure hunt works best when the class is divided into groups of about 5 children of different abilities. Working in a team, and in a competition, supports team
working skills, and even children with difficulties in mathematics can participate.
The questions are taken from a wide range of different topics, and often not directly related to the mathematics curriculum. Some of the problems lend themselves to further discussion afterwards; often there is an article on that topic in the
Mathigon World of Mathematics.
The answer to each problem is an integer, and all the answers once decoded into
letters spell the location of the treasure.: the library.

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J

Put the questions, materials as well as the clues leading to the next question into
an envelope, and hide the 10 envelopes around the school site. Keep the two introductory sheets for each team, as well as a different clue for each team the ones
leading to their first problem.
At the beginning of the lesson, divide the class into a couple of teams and give
each team the two introductory sheets, as well as their first clue. The treasure is
hidden in the library usually chocolate works well

Table of Contents

The Questions
Name
Cryptography
Combinatorics
Graph Theory
Number Pyramid
Pascal's Triangle
Prime Numbers
Probability
Platonic Solids
Tangram
Secret Numbers

Make sure that the class is able to solve all the problems. Print the introductory
sheets and questions (pages 38) once for every team and cut them in the middle.
Print and cut the additional materials for various problems (pages 1315).

Locations

Solution
18
18
2
9
8
25
20
12
1
5

Order of Teams
1 9 7 5 3
2 10 8 6 4
3 1 9 7 5
4 2 10 8 6
5 3 1 9 7
6 4 2 10 8
7 5 3 1 9
8 6 4 2 10
9 7 5 3 1
10 8 6 4 2

Page 3
Pages 48
Pages 910
Pages 1112
Pages 1315

Introductory Sheets
Problems
Clues
Customisable Clues
Additional Materials

Copyright Notices
The mathematical treasure hunt is part of the Mathigon Project and Philipp
Legner, 2012. Graphics include images by the sxc.hu users ba1969, slafko and
spekulator. To be used only for educational purposes.

The Integer Files

Archive of the University of Cantortown

Item 0

Item 0: Last letter of Prof. Integer

Catalogue Nr. 0010

Mathematical Treasure Hunt

Dear Mathematicians,

INSTRUCTIONS
Professor Integer was one of the worlds most famous mathematicians,
who made discoveries that changed the world forever: from algorithms for
computers and internet to statistical calculations and quantum mechanical predictions.
When he died, he had no relatives or close friends but a very large fortune. He believed that only the best mathematicians deserved to find his
treasure and created a trail of puzzles and problems.
Many of his diary pages, notes and letters are archived at the University
of Cantortown, and they all include clues and hints regarding the location
of the treasure.
This treasure hunt will require you to move around your school, find
the hidden clues and solve mathematical problems. Each question
will contain a clue about where the next problem will be hidden, but
every team solves the problems in a different order.
When you find an envelope, take one problem page and one clue. Try
to solve the problem, sometimes using additional materials in the envelope; then look for the next problem. You may not find the problems
in the correct order!
There are many other children in the school, so avoid any unnecessary noise. Dont leave your solutions behind for the next team to see,
and dont take more than one copy of each problem otherwise following teams might not be able to solve the problem.
You are now ready to receive the first clue and a copy of the last letter
written by Professor Integer.
Good luck!

When you read this letter, I will be dead,

and my treasure will be hidden in a very safe
location. Only the best mathematicians
deserve to find it.
In my notes and diaries, I have left 10
problems which you need to solve. The
answer to every problem is a single number,
which you can write down here:
A

Once you have solved all problems, turn

the numbers into letters (1-a, 2-b,3-c and
so on) and bring the letters into the correct
order to spell the location of the treasure:
___ _______
Hurry, though, because other
teams may be onto it as well
Regards and good Luck!
Prof. Integer

The Integer Files

The Integer Files

Archive of the University of Cantortown

Item 1: Lined Paper, Cards

Item 1
Catalogue Nr. 7644

Problem A: Cryptography
I think somebody has broken into my study and stolen important documents and calculations. It is a disaster that I have lost my notes, but it
is even worse that the thief can read my discoveries and ideas.
In the future, I need to decipher my notes, so that only I can read
them. A very easy method was invented by Julius Caesar: you just
shift ever letter along the alphabet, for example
a b c d e f g h i j k l mn o p q r s t u nwx y z
t u nwx y z a b c d e f g h i j k l mn o p q r s
The word 'mathematician' for example would be shifted to
ftmaxftmbvbtg'.
To decipher this code, one would have to try all 24 possibilities to shift
the letter, which could take a very long time. This should keep my notes
safe in the future!

MAX
TGLPXK BL
XBZAmxxg

out finding
of mathematics ab ars: durea
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th
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Note: Cr yptograp It was especially important in w
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Archive of the University of Cantortown

Item 2

Item 2: Spiral Bound Notebook 1, piece of cardbord

Catalogue Nr. 0556

Problem B: Combinatorics
Yesterday was Christmas and I received
6 presents from my friends. When unpacking, a curious question occurred to
me: How many different orders are there
for me to unpack them?
For example, if the 6 present are numbered A, B, C, D, E and F, then a few
possible orders would be
A B C D E F
B C E F D A
C D A F E B
but there are many more.
How many are there in
total?
I don't think it is
practical to write down
all possibilities
there are more than
500. Maybe there is a
clever method to do it
using mathematics!

To get the key number

for this problem, divide
the result by 40!

I wonder whether
you can use similar
ideas to calculate
the probability to
win in lotto: How
many ways are there
to choose 6 numbers
out of 49. This is
related to an area
of maths called
Combinatorics.

The Integer Files

The Integer Files

Archive of the University of Cantortown

Item 3: Spiral Bound Notebook No 2

Item 3
Catalogue Nr. 5478

Problem C: Graph Theory

Last night I was doodling on a sheet of
paper and discovered something curious:
some shapes can be drawn all at once,
without lifting the pen of the paper, and
without drawing any line twice. But for
some shapes that is impossible.
How many of these shapes are IMPOSSIBLE to
draw without lifting the pen and drawing
a line twice?

Archive of the University of Cantortown

Item 4: Old piece of paper 1

Item 4
Catalogue Nr. 1271

Problem D: Number Pyramid

Last night I was thinking about a large number
pyramid. Unfortunately I spilled my coffee, and I
lost many of the numbers only 6 remained legible.
I was thinking about it for some time, and I think it
is possible to reconstruct the whole pyramid using
only those 6 numbers!

Can you work out why?

82
47 55
20
6

11
The answer !

The Integer Files

The Integer Files

Archive of the University of Cantortown

Item 5

Item 5: Old piece of paper 2, Pascal's Triangle

Archive of the University of Cantortown

Item 6: Diary, 100-tables

Catalogue Nr. 9912

192

P Orthogonality | Pascals Triangle

4
4+6
= 10 10

11
1

15

20

15

1
5

I tried colouring in all cells

divisible by 3 in Pascals
triangle with 16 rows.
Guess how long the base
of the largest coloured
triangle was

28

56

70

56

21

35

35

21

28

Pascals triangle has many interesting properties. It is symmetric, the

diagonals are all 1s, the second diagonals are the integers 1, 2, 3, and
the third diagonal are the triangle numbers 1, 2, 6, 10, Many other
interesting number sequences and patterns can be found if you look more
closely.
A particularly interesting thing happens when you colour in all cells that
are divisible by 2 or 3. The result will be a pattern of many more triangles
of various sizes. As you try this with bigger and bigger versions of Pascals
triangle, it starts looking like a fractal, a shape which repeats itself on

Problem F: Prime Numbers

We start by circling the smallest

prime number, 2. Then we cross out
all multiples of 2 less than 100
these numbers cant be prime numbers, since they are divisible by 2.

1
1

Now we circle the next number which

isnt crossed out, in this case 3, and
cross out all multiples of 3; again
these numbers cant be prime.

Since 4 is crossed out, the next number we circle is 5 and we cross out
the remaining multiples of 5. We
continue until all numbers are either
circled or crossed out (some of them
may be crossed out several times!).

Then all remaining circled numbers

are prime numbers.

Problem E:
Pascals Triangle

We say that a number y is a factor of a

number x if you can make x by multiplying
y with another number For example, 7 is a
factor of 21 since, 21 = 7 3.

A simple construction of the triangle proceeds in the following manner.

In the first row, write only the number 1. Then, to construct the elements
of following rows, add the two numbers above a cell to make the number
in the new cell. For example, the first number in the first row is 0 + 1 =
1, whereas the numbers 1 and 3 in the third row are added to produce the
number 4 in the fourth row.

A number which has no factors apart from

1 and itself is called a prime number. Note
however that 1 itself is not a prime number!
Prime numbers play a very important role
in mathematics, since they cant be divided
any further. They are like the atoms of
numbers.

In mathematics, Pascals triangle is a triangular array of binomial

coefficients. It is named after the French mathematician Blaise Pascal, but
other mathematicians studied it centuries before him in India and China.

How many prime Numbers are there less than 100?

Pascals Triangle

Eratosthenes, a Greek mathematician,

found an easy way to calculate all the prime
numbers less than 100. It is called the
Sieve of Eratosthenes. You will need one
of the 100-tables in the envelope.

Two lines or curves are orthogonal if they are perpendicular at their point
of intersection. Two vectors are orthogonal if and only if their dot product
is zero.

Item 6
Catalogue Nr. 7964

The Integer Files

The Integer Files

Archive of the University of Cantortown

Item 7: Old notebook, box of marbles

Item 7
Catalogue Nr. 4652

Archive of the University of Cantortown

Item 8

Item 8: Old piece of paper 2, Icosahedron

Catalogue Nr. 5512

Problem G: Probability

Today I was playing a game with

marbles. I had a bag with 50 marbles,
some of which were red and some of
which were blue.

I repeatedly picked a marble at

random and then put it back. On
average, the chance of getting a red
marble was 40%.

How many red marbles were there in

the bag?

Problem H: Platonic Solids

This shape is called an Icosahedron. All
faces are equilateral triangles, and it
looks the same from every direction.
Therefore it is called a Platonic Solid,
named after the Greek mathematician
Plato. Plato showed that there are only
five solids of this kind. He though that
they corresponded to the four classical elements
fire, air, earth and fire, as well as the universe.
Here is a table showing all 5 platonic solids. Can
you find a pattern and fill in the gaps?
Name

Model

Faces Vertices Edges

Tetrahedron

Cube

Octahedron

Dodecahedron

Icosahedron

20

20

12

30

30

Maybe Think about Faces + Vertces!

Marbles by the Minnesota Historical Society on Wikipedia

The Integer Files

The Integer Files

Archive of the University of Cantortown

Item 9

Item 9: Two letters by Prof. Integer, Tangram

Catalogue Nr. 1972

Problem I: Tangram
Today when browsing a shop in Chinatown, I discovered
a fantastic game, called Tangram: it consists of geometric
shapes which can be combined to make new ones.
You are given a certain shape, like a square, and you have to
use all of the tiles available to make that shape.
Unfortunately I mixed up two games and couldn't figure
out which tile didn't belong there. 8 of the tiles on the back
can be used to make a square: find the one that is left over.

I received this
letters from Prof.
Interger just a
couple of days
before he died.

8
7

2
4

Archive of the University of Cantortown

Item 10: Spiral Bound Notebook No 2

Item 10
Catalogue Nr. 9612

Problem J: Secret Number

Do you think you can break the key to my safe? No? Well,
I shall give you a few hints:
** it is a 6-digit number and consists of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
and 6 in some order
** the whole key is divisible by 6
** if you leave out the last digit, it is divisible by 5
** if you leave out the last two digits, the remaining
4-digit number is divisible by 4
** if you leave out the last three digits, the remaining
3-digit number is also divisible by 3
** the first two digits of the key form a 2-digit number which is divisible by 2.
Can you work out what the 5th digit of my key is?

With watercolour,
crayons, pen,
The next puzzle is
waiting then.

Chemistry Lab

Where smoke and where fire

are common event,
The following mystery
I will present.

Playground

In breaktime its brawling,

in lessons is still,
On the playground the next
riddle finding you will.

Art and Crafts Room

Computer Room

Find the riddle

that is given,
Where the bits and
bytes are livin.

Languages Room

Bonjour, Hola,
Goddag, Ni Hao,
And more if
languages allow.

School Office

Full of paper,
books and files,
Pay the school office
some smiles!

Geography Room
Hall / Auditorium

The biggest room

that is in sight,
But try to knock
it is polite.

Starircases

n
ght,
dow d ri
and t an
Up d lefcases, ite.
n
a
r
stai exc
The they do

Music Room

Trumpet fanfares
no delay!
And music sounds ay.
will lead your w

Staff Common Room

No pupil may enter,

no child may come in,
Where the next clue is hidden,
so you can begin!

Mathematics Room

Where 10 divided 5 is 2,
The next questions,
it waits for you.

Hurry, less than

80 days,
For you to reach
the problem's place.

1
1
1
1
2
1
1
3
3
1
1
4
6
4
1
1
5
10 10
5
1
1
6
15 20 15
6
1
1
7
21
35
35
21
7
1
1
8
28 56 70 56 28
8
1
1
9
36 84 126 126 84 36
9
1
1
10 45 120 210 252 210 120 45 10
1
1
11
55 165 330 462 462 330 165 55
11
1
1
12 66 220 495 792 924 792 485 220 66 12
1
1
13 78 286 715 1287 1716 1716 1287 715 286 78 13
1
1
14 91 364 1001 2002 3003 3432 3003 2002 1001 364 91 14
1
1
105 455 1365 3003 5005 6435 6435 5995 3003 1365 455 105 15
1
120 560 1820 4368 8008 11440 12870 11440 8008 4368 1820 560 120 16

16

15

Pascals Triangle

1
1
1
1
2
1
1
3
3
1
1
4
6
4
1
1
5
10 10
5
1
1
6
15 20 15
6
1
1
7
21
35
35
21
7
1
1
8
28 56 70 56 28
8
1
1
9
36 84 126 126 84 36
9
1
1
10 45 120 210 252 210 120 45 10
1
1
11
55 165 330 462 462 330 165 55
11
1
1
12 66 220 495 792 924 792 485 220 66 12
1
1
13 78 286 715 1287 1716 1716 1287 715 286 78 13
1
1
14 91 364 1001 2002 3003 3432 3003 2002 1001 364 91 14
1
1
15 105 455 1365 3003 5005 6435 6435 5995 3003 1365 455 105 15
1
1
120 560 1820 4368 8008 11440 12870 11440 8008 4368 1820 560 120 16

16

Pascals Triangle

Print several times for each group, cut out and add to problem E

Pascals Triangle

10

11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

10

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60

51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60

61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70

61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70

71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80

71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80

81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90

81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90

91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100

91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100

100 Number Table

Print several times for each group, cut out and add to problem F

Tangram

Print once (on coloured cardboard), cut out and add to problem I

Problem D: Magic Squares

Do you know what a magic square is? A quadratic grid of
integers, so that the sum of the numbers in every row, every
column and the two diagonals is always the same. Here is a
33 magic square with the numbers from 1 to 9. The rows,
columns and diagonals all add up to 15:
2 7 6
9 5 1
4 3 8

Magic squares have also played an important role in Chinese

and Arabic mathematics: they were believed to have magical
powers and a supernatural meaning.
I found this 44 magic square in a book, except that some
numbers are missing. Can you fill in the gaps and find the
number in the bottom left corner?

16

12
13
6

10
15

14
11

Note:

Maybe you should first

determine what the sum
of the numbers in every row
and column is..

KS4
Big Caesar Code 18
Combinatorics: Lotto 8
Graph Theory: Bridges 2
Magic Square 9
Sequences Hard 20
Sieve of Eratosthenes 25
Probability 18
Symmetry Groups: 13 1 = 12
Geometry 1
Modular Arithmetic 5