Free printable Thanksgiving activity

Thanksgiving Logic and Math Puzzles

A printable set of 20 Thanksgiving math and logic puzzles with patterns, riddles, arrangements, optimization, and complete explanations.

Grades 4–920 problemsAbout 75 minutesReference data and answers
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Why this activity works

These puzzles reward useful mathematical habits: organize cases, test constraints, work backward, look for invariants, and explain why an answer must be true. No holiday trivia is required.

Teaching note

Good hints suggest a representation rather than a result. Try 'make a table,' 'start from the end,' or 'what stays unchanged?' before supplying any arithmetic step.

Materials

  • Pencil
  • Scratch paper
  • Optional counters

Directions

Solve systematically and include a table, diagram, equation, or short explanation for each answer. Use hints only after a complete first attempt.

Complete activity preview

Use the reference table above when provided. All questions and solutions also appear in the printable packet.

Harvest patterns

Recognize growth patterns and express the rule.

  1. 1Continue 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, ___ and describe the pattern.
  2. 2A display has rows of 3, 6, 12, 24 items. How many in row 7?
  3. 3The totals are 2, 5, 9, 14, 20, ___. Find the next two totals.
  4. 4Continue 2,6,18,54,…\displaystyle 2,6,18,54,\ldots through two more terms.
  5. 5A pattern has an=n2+n\displaystyle a_{n}=n^{2}+n. Find a8\displaystyle a_{8} and explain the growth.

Number riddles

Translate verbal constraints into equations or organized trials.

  1. 6Three consecutive even numbers total 90. Find them.
  2. 7A two-digit number has digits totaling 11. Reversing the digits makes it 27 smaller. Find the number.
  3. 8A number is multiplied by 3, reduced by 8, and divided by 2 to make 11. Find it.
  4. 9A number and its square total 72\displaystyle 72. Find the positive number.
  5. 10Four consecutive integers total 106\displaystyle 106. Find them.

Table arrangements

Use divisibility and constraints to organize groups.

  1. 11Thirty-six guests sit at equal tables with more than 4 and fewer than 10 per table. What group sizes are possible?
  2. 12Four dishes A, B, C, D are arranged. A is first, C is immediately before B, and D is not last. Find the order.
  3. 13Maya arrives before Leo, Leo before Noor, and Eli after Noor. Give the unique order.
  4. 14How many ways can 5\displaystyle 5 guests sit in a row if two specific guests must sit together?
  5. 15A host chooses 3\displaystyle 3 of 7\displaystyle 7 side dishes. How many selections are possible?

Final challenges

Use optimization, parity, and working backward.

  1. 16Can seven odd numbers have an even sum? Explain.
  2. 17A baker can pack rolls in bags of 4 or 6 with none left. What is the smallest positive number of rolls possible?
  3. 18A volunteer gives away half the boxes plus 2, then half of what remains plus 2, leaving 4. How many boxes at first?
  4. 19A 6×6\displaystyle 6\times6 checkerboard loses two opposite-color corners. Can 17\displaystyle 17 dominoes cover the rest? Explain.
  5. 20A bell rings 8\displaystyle 8 times in 14\displaystyle 14 seconds. At the same rate, how long will 15\displaystyle 15 rings take?
Open the complete solutions

Equivalent forms and clearly supported open-ended responses should receive credit.

Harvest patterns

1. 36; consecutive square numbers

2. 192 items

3. 27 and 35; add 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

4. 162,486\displaystyle 162,486

5. 72\displaystyle 72; consecutive terms increase by successive even numbers

Number riddles

6. 28, 30, 32

7. 74

8. 10

9. 8\displaystyle 8

10. 25,26,27,28\displaystyle 25,26,27,28

Table arrangements

11. 6 or 9 guests per table

12. A, D, C, B

13. Maya, Leo, Noor, Eli

14. 2⋅4!=48\displaystyle 2\cdot4!=48

15. 35\displaystyle 35

Final challenges

16. No; an odd number of odd addends has an odd sum

17. 12 rolls

18. 28 boxes

19. Yes; the remaining colors are balanced, though a constructive tiling is still required

20. 28\displaystyle 28 seconds because 15\displaystyle 15 rings create 14\displaystyle 14 intervals

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