University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: Olympic Starters
How do you compare to these results from Olympic Games in the past if you try similar running and jumping activities? This activity uses the history of the Olympic Games to introduce ideas about measuring time and distances in standard...
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: Olympic Measures
Can you match these records and measurements to the correct event at the Olympic Games? This activity invites students to engage with units of measurement and orders of magnitude, and is aimed at secondary students at Key Stage 3.
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: Olympic Records
Can you work out which Olympics athletics event each anonymised graph of Olympic records data represents? This activity, aimed at Key Stage 3 (age 11-14), gives students the opportunity to make sense of graphical data and challenges them...
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: Olympic Logic
Four sporty brainteasers in the context of fencing, hockey, football and international medal tables. This activity challenges students to be resourceful, to think logically and to work systematically, and is designed to be accessible to...
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: Olympic Rings
This activity explores shapes and circles by encouraging children to look really hard at something they will see very often in the run-up to London 2012, and is designed to be accessible to primary pupils at Key Stage 1.
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: Olympic Triathlon
Do you think the triathlon will be won by someone who is very strong in one event and average in the other two, or someone who is strong in all three disciplines? This activity challenges students to analyse real-life data and use their...
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: The Olympic Logo
How would you write a LOGO program to approximately reproduce the Olympic Rings logo? This activity is designed to be accessible to students at all levels of secondary maths (Key Stages 3, 4 and 5).
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: The Olympic Torch Tour
Can you find the best route for the Olympic Torch relay to take? This more challenging activity is designed to be accessible to GCSE maths students (grades 8, 9, and 10).
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: The Olympic Flame: Are You in the 95%?
The organisers of the Olympic Torch Relay hope that the planned route means that the Torch will come within 10 miles of 95% of the population of Britain. Has this worked? This activity can be approached at different levels by a wide...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Olympics Content: Math and Science Behind Olympic Sports
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] This group of resources use interest in Olympic sports to teach math and physics concepts. Students learn about velocity, the role of gravity, the importance of...
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: Lengthy Journeys: Olympic Torch Relay
Can you plan routes for the Olympic Torch to visit these cities? How far will it travel? How long will it take? This activity gives children the opportunity to calculate using distance and time and is aimed at Key Stage 2 primary school...
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: The Home Advantage
In the 2008 Beijing Olympics the UK finished 4th in the total medal count. How might we do in 2012, and does the country hosting the Olympics have an edge?
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: Can You Do It Too?
Can you throw a beanbag as far as the Olympic hammer or discus throwers? This activity introduces children to informal measures to compare distances, and is designed to be accessible to primary pupils at Key Stage 1.
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: Our Sports
What events are there in your school sports day, and in the Olympic Games? What are your favourite races and sports? This activity encourages discussion and decisions about how to collect and display data, and is designed to be...
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: Light Weights
Could the location of the Olympic host city have an effect on weightlifting events? This activity provides an interesting context in which to engage with weight, mass and gravitation, and is aimed at A-level students (grades 10, 11, and...
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: National Flags
During the Olympic and Paralympic Games many national flags will be on display. This activity explores 2D shapes, angles and symmetries in the context of flag designs, and is designed to be accessible to primary pupils at Key Stage 2.
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: Little Little G
Could the altitude of the city hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games have an effect on performance in the long jump? This challenging activity encourages mathematical reflection, investigation and discussion as students explore how...
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: Now and Then
Look at the changes in results on some of the athletics track events at the Olympic Games in 1908 and 1948. What will the results be in 2012? This slightly more challenging activity encourages children to examine data and consider...
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: Speed/time Problems at the Olympics
8 speed/time problems from Olympic athletics, rowing, and cycling aimed at GCSE students (grades 8, 9, and 10). This activity encourages investigation and research for some parts of the questions and gives students opportunities to...
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: 10 Olympic Starters
These 10 questions encourage students to explore mathematical modelling in the context of several different sports including track and field athletics, shooting, football, tennis, basketball and gymnastics. This activity is designed to...
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: What's the Point of Squash?
Squash isn't an Olympic sport (yet!) but it has an interesting scoring system. If you reach 8-all in a game of squash, when should you decide to play to 9 points rather than 10? This activity is a starting point for mathematical...
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: Half Time
What could the half-time scores have been in these Olympic hockey matches? This activity encourages systematic working and discussion, and is designed to be accessible to primary pupils at Key Stages 1 and 2.
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: Angle of Shot
At what angle should you release the shot to break Olympic records? This activity gives students the opportunity to investigate projectile motion in a real-life context, and is aimed at A-level students (grades 10, 11, and 12).
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: Stadium Sightline
How would you design the seating for an Olympic stadium to give spectators the best view of events? This geometry and modelling activity is designed to be accessible to both GCSE and A-level maths students (Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5),...