Try to solve each challenge in about five to ten minutes. If you can’t find the solution in ten minutes, feel free to look at the solution. However, the joy of solving a problem comes from having struggled with it before coming up with a solution. In this book you will find many challenges that you may want to solve by yourself without looking at the solutions.

The challenges are first introduced in locked form, with the path to the solution uncertain. This is followed by an unlocked presentation, outlining how a solution can be found. After you have tried the challenges you might like to mark the pages of the ones you enjoyed and try them with others. In this way you can enjoy each challenge twice!

Looking back:

• If you find a challenge interesting, share it.


• If someone asks you about the solution to one of the challenges, just give a hint rather than providing the answer.
  
• Try creating new challenges by changing the problem conditions.

Solving problems lies at the heart of mathematics because it is the means by which mathematics can be applied to the unfamiliar. Problem solving in mathematics helps to develop curiosity, confidence and an open-mind. The Red dragonfly mathematics challenge is not only aimed at improving algebraic thinking skills, but also at inducing a willingness to think.