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PENNY PROBLEMS

Problem Solving

Skill: Problem solving

Players: Alone or in small group

Directions:

1. Penny Moves

Six pennies start out in the triangular shape shown in Figure 1 below. They are to be moved into the six-sided shape as shown in Figure 2.

To move a penny, you must slide it so that it does not disturb any other penny and so that it ends up touching two other pennies. The pennies must stay flat on the surface at all times.

Can you rearrange the pennies as required, using only four moves?

A triangle of pennies is made as in a) below. What is the smallest number of pennies that have to be moved to turn the triangle pattern upside down as in b)?

Use nine pennies to cover nine of the circles below, leaving one circle uncovered. Jump one penny over another, making sure there is an empty circle behind it on which to place the jumping penny. Take the penny that was jumped over off the board. Continue jumping one penny over another onto empty circles until there are no more jumps left to make. (NOTE: Pennies may only jump over one penny at a time, and there may not be any empty circles between pennies during jumps.)

Continue practicing until you have only one penny left at the end of a minute.