Why do this problem?

This problem practises addition, subtraction, multiplication and division in an interesting and thought-provoking way.

Key questions

What do all the numbers on the cake add to?
How many couples are there?
How can you use this total to work out the sum of the numbers on each couple's slices?

Possible extension

Learners who found the problem easy might like to try this one .

Possible support

A good place to start might be to suggest pupils work out (with a calculator if necessary) the sum of all the numbers on the cake.