Number (addition and subtraction): Hotel Armadillo
The Problem
The following animals often use an armadillo burrow for shelter, warmth and protection:
- fox (3)
- ocelot (6)
- tortoise (8)
- anteater (8)
- armadillo (9)
If three different animals from the list above visit an armadillo burrow, what might the total number of letters in their names be?
You’ll notice in the picture opposite that the number 30 appears next to the entrance of Hotel Armadillo. This is the total number of letters in all of the animals that visited this particular burrow.
Can you work out which animals, from the list above, visited Hotel Armadillo?
Note: They don’t all have to visit the burrow, and you can have more than one type of animal visiting. How will you know if you have found all possible solutions?
Did you know?
Armadillos have poor eyesight, so they hunt with a highly developed sense of smell. They also have wiry hairs along their sides and belly, which they use to feel their way around.
Visualising the Problem and Getting Started
Saami said, “I think 10 foxes visited Hotel Armadillo.” Is Saami right? How do you know?
Jaya said, ” I think 3 armadillos and 1 ocelot visited Hotel Armadillo.” What mistake has Jaya made?
