Can you use the digits on the left of this clock along with any mathematical operations to equal the digits on the right (also with any mathematical operations)?

Examples

Examples

Which times is this possible and which times impossible?

Alternate activity

Use the digits of the current time to make as many different calculations as possible all with different answers.

All four digits must be used and each must appear once only in each of your calculations.


Next choose a different time that you think will produce more calculations than the present time.

A Mathematics Lesson Starter Of The Day


Topics: Starter | Arithmetic | Mixed | Number | Problem Solving | Puzzles

  • Transum,
  •  
  • The key to making this activity a successful starter is not just considering the current time but focussing on the question 'Which times is this possible and which times impossible?'. The question 'How many times can you find that are possible?' might lead to a list of similar mathematical operations (which is fine for some pupils) while dividing the class into small groups and assigning each group an hour of the day may encourage some more creativity. Let us know if your class make any interesting discoveries.

How did you use this starter? Can you suggest how teachers could present or develop this resource? Do you have any comments? It is always useful to receive feedback and helps make this free resource even more useful for Maths teachers anywhere in the world.
Click here to enter your comments.

Previous Day | This starter is for 14 June | Next Day

 

Answers

09 010x9=00x1=0
09 020x9=00x2=0
09 030x9=00x3=0
09 040x9=00x4=0
09 050x9=00x5=0
09 060x9=00x6=0
09 070x9=00x7=0
09 080x9=00x8=0
09 099090
09 100x9=01x0=0
09 1190=111=1
09 1290=112=1
09 1390=113=1
09 1490=114=1
09 1590=115=1
09 1690=116=1
09 1790=117=1
09 1890=118=1
09 1990=119=1
09 200x9=00x2=0
09 21√9+0=32+1=3
09 2290=12÷2=1
09 230+9=932=9
09 24√9+0=3, 3!=62+4=6
09 25√9+0=35-2=3
09 26√9+0=36÷2=3
09 270+9=92+7=9
09 2890=182=64, 6+4=10, 1+0=1
09 290+9=992=81, 8+1=9
09 300x9=00x3=0

For more ideas see Alan Sturgess' Maths Puzzle Investigation video.



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Laptops In Lessons

Teacher, do your students have access to computers such as tablets, iPads or Laptops?  This page was really designed for projection on a whiteboard but if you really want the students to have access to it here is a concise URL for a version of this page without the comments:

Transum.org/go/?Start=June14

However it would be better to assign one of the student interactive activities below.

Laptops In Lessons

Here is the URL which will take them to a related student activity.

Transum.org/go/?to=fifteen

Student Activity

 


The digital clock used on this page is adapted from code provided by Radoslav Dimov copyright © 2009.

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