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Number Stairs

This Subtangent investigation looks at the total of the squares inside a stair shape.

Initially students investigate the relationship of the totals of a three step stair and its position on a 10 by 10 grid.

Using algebra, students may discover a general rule which applies to any stair on the grid.

Students can extend this work by investigating further the relationship between the stair totals and other step stairs on other number grids.

Teachers may choose to use printed grids for this work, or use the interactive aspect of this investigation which will calculate totals; show the algebraic notation; change the size of the grid and the size of the stair.

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