Download Math Brain Builder Riddles

Math Brain Builder Riddles
Dear Colleague,
Thank you checking out
I have used these activities
with my students for many years, and it is my hope that they will enrich your classroom also. The full bundle contains 30 different math riddles along with a
complete answer key. A student scoresheet is included to allow kids to track their
progress (I stamp the number of each riddle they solve).
The riddles cover a variety of concepts including number sense, place value, time,
money, geometry, graphing, fractions, measurement, addition, subtraction,
multiplication, division, and pre-algebra.
I created these activities to inspire my students to be “thinkers” as well as
“solvers.” We discuss each riddle, and students share the process they used in finding
their answer. These discussions are vital because they allow me to better understand
the strategies kids use to solve problems. It also gets them talking about math and using the vocabulary related to the topic.
As a creative teacher, you are encouraged to build upon any of these activities,
and I welcome your thoughts and suggestions in regard to additions or improvements.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.
Sincerely,
Tom Wier
Copyright Notice
The material presented in this download is copyrighted by Three Dog Graphx Designs. The worksheets
presented in this download may be reproduced by mechanical means for in-classroom use only by the
original purchaser. Copies of this material may not be given to another individual with the intent to reproduce
the material for another classroom. No part of this publication may be reprinted for resale without the express
written permission of Three Dog Graphx Designs.
© 2010 Three Dog Graphx Designs. All rights reserved.
www.threedoggraphx.com
Contact information:
[email protected]
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Mrs. Roberts class voted to see what foods they liked
the best. The pie graph shows the results. What
percent of the students liked hot dogs the best?
Answer: _______________
Name____________________________
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Apple Blueberry Crisp
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Maria helped her mom make a
desert. Maria used the most of
which ingredient?
Answer: ________________________
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Name_______________________________
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Mr. Math Mystery has four numbers in his home address. Use the clues
below to help you
÷
x
+
The first number is the lowest odd number.
The second number is 8 times the first number.
The third number is 4 more than 4 times the first number.
The last number is (5x5)÷5.
Answer: _______________
Name______________________________
© Three Dog Graphx Designs
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Lin measured her pencil to find out its length.
Only one answer makes sense. Can you find it?
100 centimeters
1gram
1 kilometer
40 liters
2 meters
6 kilometers
18 centimeters
16 kilometers
50 grams
Answer: __________________
Name____________________________
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The Sherman family has a dog named Rex. Use the clues to find out how old Rex is.
James is 9 years older than Rex.
Maria is 2 years younger than James.
Maria is 1 year older than Marcus.
Marcus is 12 years old.
Rex is _________ years old.
Name_______________________________
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A bear’s sense of smell is estimated to be 2,100 times better than a human’s.
Which equation below displays this? (b= bear, h=human)
h x 2,100 = b
b + 2,100 = h
2,100 – h = b
h ÷ 2,100 = b
Answer: _________________________
© Three Dog Graphx Designs
Hey, you’re
doing
algebra!
Name______________________________
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Name_________________________
Math Brain Builder Riddles
1
Answers will vary, but some other ways are:
2 hundreds + 3 tens + 7 ones = 237, 200 + 37 = 237
2
Bills = $10 $10 $10 $10 $5 $5 $5 Coins = 50¢ 50¢ 50¢ 25¢ 25¢ 1¢ 1¢ 1¢
3
9:15 (hands are reversed)
4
111 - 11 = 100
5
9 sheep are left
6
86,400 seconds
7
3 ducks in a row X X X
8
3 socks (at least two will be the same color)
9
10 days
10
total
11
50 cent piece + a nickel (one is not a nickel - it’s a 50 cent piece)
12
735 + 246 = 981, or 745 + 236 = 981
13
c.
14
110 + 190 = 300 meters
15
If you choose to double the payment each day the total is $511.
If you choose $20 per day the total is $200, so the first option pays more.
16
3 pizzas
17
1 + 7, 5 + 2, 3 + 4
18
30 birds
19
177 pages
20
1,110
21
6 lines of symmetry
22
11% (hot dogs)
23
chopped apples
24
1885
25
18 centimeters
26
Rex is 6 years old.
27
h x 2,100 = b
28
4 piles with 4 crayons left over
29
b and c
30
0 (zero)