Week One
Caterpillar Maths Investigation
Have you ever wondered how old a caterpillar is?
Well, look closely - would you be surprised to hear that the caterpillar's age is actually written on its head?!!!
Here are the rules for our investigation for this week:
Caterpillars don't live beyond 100 years old!
A caterpillar's age is written on its head.
The body parts are made in the following way:
If the number is even, half it
If the number is odd, add one
The pattern continues until you reach 1.
A ten year old caterpillar has 6 body parts.
How old is the longest caterpillar you can find?
I wonder if you can find a shorter caterpillar than a ten year old?
So... what do you notice?
Does it matter which number you start with?
Are some digits better than others for growing longer caterpillars?
Does it make a difference if the caterpillar is an odd or even age?
*Remember to work logically
Looking forward to seeing your investigations - please email in your work. Take a photo or post your findings on the dojo.
How creative can you be with your recording?
How will you present your findings?
What rules have you discovered?