Number (addition and subtraction): Frog vs Wasp
The Problem
For one week, a glass frog father tried to protect his precious eggs from some wasps. However, on the first day, the hungry wasps stole and ate one egg. On the second day, the wasps stole and ate two eggs. On the third day, the wasps stole and ate three eggs. This pattern continued throughout the time that the father was protecting the eggs. By the end of the week, only 17 eggs remained on the leaf. (This is shown in the picture opposite.)
Can you work out how many eggs there were on the leaf to begin with?
Compare your solution with a friend’s. What is the same, what is different?
Did you know?
Glass frogs are so called because of the translucent skin on their belly. This means that their skin is see-through, enabling their beating heart and other internal organs to be seen!
Visualising the Problem and Getting Started
Can you highlight the important information in the problem opposite?
Suraya said, “The total number of eggs in the picture represents the total number of eggs that were on the leaf to begin with.” Do you agree with Suraya?
