Guest blog post - Maths tip- by Muhammad Ali, Founder of ‘Maths & Science Tuition.’
How many small cubes can fit into a large one?
The trick is to count tiles or cubes etc. Don't try to work out one area/volume and divide by the smaller one. That's ok to use for smaller numbers but when you have got bigger numbers you need to work smart, not hard. In a 2D shape, work out the number of tiles or objects that you can fit horizontally then do the same vertically. Then multiply those two numbers together. For a 3D shape you apply the same principle but in addition to horizontal and vertical you need to know how many you can fit deep. Then multiply those 3 numbers together.
Can you add up all the numbers to one hundred faster than a calculator?
With this method you can. If you understand the method, see if you can add the numbers to 1000 and post your answers in the comments
Muhammad Ali is a maths and science tutor of 25 years experience with a PhD in physics from Cambridge. He runs a tutoring business based in Islington since 2010 and tutors students for 7+, 11+, 13+, GCSE, A-level and Oxbridge entrance.
He also posts regular Q & A series in the 11 plus Journey Facebook group.
