Prime Numbers Year 6 Four Operations Learning Video Clip

Step 11: Prime Numbers Year 6 Four Operations Learning Video Clip

Buzz and Renata are embarking in a new mission. They need to use prime numbers to work out a code, plan their route and label samples they collect whilst on Mars.

More resources for Autumn Block 2 Step 11.

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Discussion points for teachers

1. Can you work out the number of the spaceship they will be using?
Discuss the definition of a prime number and what the term ‘digit total’ means.
67

2. What code could Buzz and Renata try?
Discuss which numbers less than 10 are prime numbers and the different 4-digit numbers that can be made using these digits. This question is open-ended for children to explore. Is there a systematic way of working out all the possibilities? Is there a way to work out how many combinations of the 4 digits there are?
Various answers, for example: 2357

3. What is the correct code?
Discuss how the extra information helps you to find the code. Which possibilities can be eliminated? Why?
3572

4. Which planets will they be visiting?
Discuss methods of working out if a number is a prime number. For example, how do you know if a 2-digit number is divisible by 3?
Mercury (29), Mars (31), Jupiter (43)

5. What numbers do they use to label their samples?
Discuss the 2-digit numbers that can be made with the digits 3, 5 and 7. How can you work out all the combinations systematically? Discuss which of these numbers are prime numbers.
37, 53, 73

National Curriculum Objectives

Mathematics Year 6: (6C5) Identify common factors, common multiples and prime numbers

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