Another one of the “answer the questions, reveal the joke” classics (the joke is a cracker by the way). This is an attempt to force students to solve equations rather than try numbers as I am seeing some of this with some students.

The usual answer the questions, reveal the joke, this time using multiple circle theorems or forming and solving equations using circle theorems.

Solve some quadratic inequalities, reveal a cheesy joke about fish. A simple but effective concept that always seems popular in my classroom, plus the answers are on the sheet so students know whether they are right or wrong as the answer will reveal itself. Typos corrected…

Casey is doing the AQA Further Maths Level 2 Certificate and struggling; Casey requires you class’ help to explain where they have gone wrong and then correct it. This chapter deals with trigonometry and Pythagoras including £D and non-right-angled triangles.

Casey is making mistakes again, this time involving difference of two square, rearranging formulae, algebraic fractions and completing the square where the coefficient of x squared is not 1 (and is negative). The aim is to get classes discussing methods and deepening understanding and is aimed at the AQA Further Maths Level 2 Certificate course (Chapter 2).

Six questions to do and the answers on the sheet (four answers do not match to questions). These sheets allow those students who are confident to get on without asking if answers are correct whilst the teacher helps those who need it.

I needed something to go through substitution in a practical sense with students who lack confidence with algebra generally. I cam up with this which is not perfect but gets the baby bathed as it were. It aims to build up in difficulty using taxi fares and then bespoke furniture making and should allow students to gain confidence with substitution.

Mick Carter, landlord of the Queen Vic in Eastenders, requires help with some fractions that he’s trying to shift. Can your class help him? This involves converting between mixed and improper fractions as well as calculating with them. Eastenders theme tune is optional…

This is essentially forming and solving equations using angle facts and percentage change skills. I have used angles at a point on line, angles in a triangle, quadrilateral and a pentagon. Each gets more challenging as it goes in a bid to scaffold the activity.

Two ratios blend into one… and form a fish-related pun. Great for starters, plenaries or main tasks (some people use them for homework). Question 1 is now corrected; I clearly needed to warm up.

Answer the questions, reveal the fish-related joke. You know how these work by now. Ideal for online lessons, homework or in class tasks.

Students are given a set of lines and have to solve the simultaneous equations; some need to be rearranged as well. I tend to use this as a starter or right at the beginning of a topic as the answers are there allowing students who understand get on and the teacher to help those who require help.

A music joke, hence the name (a suggestion from a very keen musician that I teach). Answer the questions involving metric measures and reveal the joke; popular in both online and real-time lessons.

Yet another one of these; answer the questions, figure out the anagram, laugh a very tiny bit (or groan)… students seem to like them.

Hazel shows no workings, Mabel makes errors. Each gets marks (or not as the case may be) for questions but Mabel gets more even when Hazel is correct. This idea was from a colleague who wanted to emphasise the importance of showing a clear method and the potential to get more marks even with an incorrect answer. The intention is to get students to discuss where marks are gained and where they are lost as well as them correcting Mabel.

Lionel doesn’t do workings; he loses most of the marks on a question which requires workings therefore. Can your students help him with inequalities, forming quadratics, equations and expanding brackets?

More Lionel stuff here; he doesn’t write his workings so loses loads of marks. Can your students help him? This is slightly more challenging than “Number 1”, involving standard form, LCM (involving prime factors), proportion, mixed numbers.

Lionel is a decent mathematician but will not write his method down so loses loads of marks in exams etc. Can your students help Lionel write full solutions? Here Lionel tackles averages, pie charts and probability (expected outcomes).

Help Lionel gain full credit for his answers (he gives no working whatsoever); this one involves recurring decimals to fractions, surds (rationalising and expanding two brackets), proportion (recipes).

This is designed to force students in to showing their workings by giving them the answer by asking “show that” questions. This involves equations of lines including perpendiculars.