Square and Cube Numbers Year 6 Four Operations Learning Video Clip

Step 12: Square and Cube Numbers Year 6 Four Operations Learning Video Clip

Renata and Buzz are attending refresher training. They are being tested on their knowledge of space and their ability to complete logic puzzles. They need your help with square and cube numbers.

More resources for Autumn Block 2 Step 12.

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Discussion points for teachers

1 Help them solve their calculations.
Discuss the meaning of square and cube numbers and the notation used.
Uranus = 64 + 20 = 84 years, Saturn = 25 + 4 = 29 years, Neptune = 125 + 40 = 165 years, Mercury = 81 + 7 = 88 days, Venus = 25 + 200 = 225 days.

2 Help them to work out the order.
Discuss what is meant by sums of adjacent pairs. Is there a systematic way to work this out?
14, 2, 7, 9, 16

3 Who is correct? Prove it!
Discuss how an addition pyramid works. Is there more than one correct answer? This question is open-ended for children to explore.
Buzz is correct. Various answers, for example: 3² + 4² = 5²

4 Help them work out which numbers go where.
Discuss which numbers up to 100 are square or cube numbers. Are there any numbers that are both? Is there a systematic way to work this out?
9 + 16 = 25, 36 + 49 = 4 + 81, 1 + 8 + 27 + 64 = 100

National Curriculum Objectives

Mathematics Year 5: (5C5d) Recognise and use square numbers and cube numbers, and the notation for squared (2) and cubed (3)

Mathematics Year 5: (5C8a) Solve problems involving multiplication and division including using their knowledge of factors and multiples, squares and cubes

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