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reSolve: Real numbers - Sum of squares

Teacher guide reSolve: Real numbers - Sum of squares

TLF ID M021068

This lesson explores Diophantus' hypothesis that all natural numbers can be expressed as the sum of no more than four square numbers. Students are invited to work in small groups to express natural numbers up to 120 as a sum of squares and share this on a whole-class grid. The resource develops students' fluency in identifying perfect squares, encourages them to share their mathematical strategies and explores the history of the hypothesis. The lesson is outlined in detail including curriculum links, a supporting PowerPoint presentation, discussion points, student and teacher resources. This sequence is part of the reSolve: Maths by Inquiry program.

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Educational details

Year level

7

Topics Perfect squares Square roots
Learning area
  • Mathematics

Other details

Contributors
  • Contributor
  • Name: Education Services Australia
  • Organization: Education Services Australia
  • Description: Data manager
  • Address: VIC, AUSTRALIA
  • URL: http://www.esa.edu.au/
  • Copyright Holder
  • Name: Australian Government Department of Education and Training
  • Organization: Australian Government Department of Education and Training
  • Publisher
  • Name: Australian Academy of Science
  • Organization: Australian Academy of Science
  • Description: Publisher
  • URL: https://www.science.org.au/
  • Resource metadata contributed by
  • Name: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Organisation: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Address: AUSTRALIA
  • URL: www.esa.edu.au
Access profile
  • Unknown
Learning Resource Type
  • Online
Rights
  • © Australian Government Department of Education and Training 2017. Unless otherwise indicated, this material may be used in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.