{"id":7314,"date":"2020-06-10T16:32:30","date_gmt":"2020-06-10T16:32:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mathsweek.ie\/2019\/?page_id=7314"},"modified":"2021-11-26T11:29:39","modified_gmt":"2021-11-26T11:29:39","slug":"problem-solving-skills","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mathsweek.ie\/2025\/problem-solving-skills\/","title":{"rendered":"Problem Solving Introduction"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-1 nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);background-position: center center;background-repeat: no-repeat;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;margin-bottom: 0px;margin-top: 0px;border-width: 0px 0px 0px 0px;border-color:#eaeaea;border-style:solid;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-0 fusion_builder_column_1_4 1_4 fusion-one-fourth fusion-column-first\" style=\"width:25%;width:calc(25% - ( ( 4% + 4% + 4% ) * 0.25 ) );margin-right: 4%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-align-block\"><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-button.button-1 {border-radius:2px;}<\/style><a class=\"fusion-button button-flat fusion-button-default-size button-default button-1 fusion-button-default-span fusion-button-default-type\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mathsweek.ie\/2025\/developing-problem-solving-skills\/\"><span class=\"fusion-button-text\">1. Problem Solving Introduction<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-1 fusion_builder_column_1_4 1_4 fusion-one-fourth\" style=\"width:25%;width:calc(25% - ( ( 4% + 4% + 4% ) * 0.25 ) );margin-right: 4%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-align-block\"><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-button.button-2 {border-radius:2px;}<\/style><a class=\"fusion-button button-flat fusion-button-default-size button-default button-2 fusion-button-default-span fusion-button-default-type\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mathsweek.ie\/2025\/developing-problem-solving-skills\/\"><span class=\"fusion-button-text\">Next: Developing Problem Solving Skills<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-2 fusion_builder_column_1_4 1_4 fusion-one-fourth\" style=\"width:25%;width:calc(25% - ( ( 4% + 4% + 4% ) * 0.25 ) );margin-right: 4%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-align-block\"><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-button.button-3 {border-radius:2px;}<\/style><a class=\"fusion-button button-flat fusion-button-default-size button-default button-3 fusion-button-default-span fusion-button-default-type\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mathsweek.ie\/2025\/encourage-reflective-thinking\/\"><span class=\"fusion-button-text\">3. Encouraging Reflective Thinking<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-3 fusion_builder_column_1_4 1_4 fusion-one-fourth fusion-column-last\" style=\"width:25%;width:calc(25% - ( ( 4% + 4% + 4% ) * 0.25 ) );margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-align-block\"><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-button.button-4 {border-radius:2px;}<\/style><a class=\"fusion-button button-flat fusion-button-default-size button-default button-4 fusion-button-default-span fusion-button-default-type\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mathsweek.ie\/2025\/problem-solving-skills-session\/\"><span class=\"fusion-button-text\">4. Problem Solving Skills Session<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-4 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-one-full fusion-column-first fusion-column-last\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-sep-clear\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-separator fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;width:100%;\"><div class=\"fusion-separator-border sep-double\" style=\"border-color:#eaeaea;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-sep-clear\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-2 nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);background-position: center center;background-repeat: no-repeat;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;margin-bottom: 0px;margin-top: 0px;border-width: 0px 0px 0px 0px;border-color:#eaeaea;border-style:solid;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-5 fusion_builder_column_1_2 1_2 fusion-one-half fusion-column-first\" style=\"width:50%;width:calc(50% - ( ( 4% ) * 0.5 ) );margin-right: 4%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><style type=\"text\/css\"><\/style><div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-1 fusion-sep-none fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-one\" style=\"margin-top:0%;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:30px;margin-left:0px;\"><h1 class=\"title-heading-left fusion-responsive-typography-calculated\" style=\"margin:0;--fontSize:50;line-height:1.2;\"><h2>1. Introduction to Problem Solving<\/h2><\/h1><\/div><style type='text\/css'>.reading-box-container-1 .element-bottomshadow:before,.reading-box-container-1 .element-bottomshadow:after{opacity:0.70;}<\/style><div class=\"fusion-reading-box-container reading-box-container-1\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:84px;\"><div class=\"reading-box\" style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2;border-width:1px;border-color:#eaeaea;border-left-width:3px;border-left-color:var(--primary_color);border-style:solid;\"><div class=\"reading-box-additional\">At the core of our system is practice and reflection<\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><style type=\"text\/css\"><\/style><div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-2 fusion-sep-none fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-one\" style=\"margin-top:0%;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:30px;margin-left:0px;\"><h1 class=\"title-heading-left fusion-responsive-typography-calculated\" style=\"margin:0;--fontSize:50;line-height:1.2;\"><h4>Skills at problem solving are very useful in life and in the workplace. The good news is that you can learn these skills. Problem solving should be at the heart of maths education. We present this resource to help you develop problem solving skills with your group. Try developing problem solving skills the Calmast way.<\/h4><\/h1><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-6 fusion_builder_column_1_2 1_2 fusion-one-half fusion-column-last\" style=\"width:50%;width:calc(50% - ( ( 4% ) * 0.5 ) );margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-content-boxes content-boxes columns row fusion-columns-1 fusion-columns-total-1 fusion-content-boxes-1 content-boxes-icon-with-title content-left\" data-animationOffset=\"100%\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-content-boxes-1 .heading .content-box-heading {color:#191919;}\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-link-icon-hover .heading .content-box-heading,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-link-icon-hover .heading .heading-link .content-box-heading,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box-hover .heading .content-box-heading,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box-hover .heading .heading-link .content-box-heading,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-link-icon-hover.link-area-box .fusion-read-more,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-link-icon-hover.link-area-box .fusion-read-more::after,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-link-icon-hover.link-area-box .fusion-read-more::before,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .fusion-read-more:hover:after,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .fusion-read-more:hover:before,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .fusion-read-more:hover,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box-hover.link-area-box .fusion-read-more,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box-hover.link-area-box .fusion-read-more::after,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box-hover.link-area-box .fusion-read-more::before,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-link-icon-hover .icon .circle-no,\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .heading .heading-link:hover .content-box-heading {\n\t\t\t\t\t\tcolor: #e9a825;\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box-hover .icon .circle-no {\n\t\t\t\t\t\tcolor: #e9a825 !important;\n\t\t\t\t\t}.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box.link-area-box-hover .fusion-content-box-button {background: #d6ad5a;color: #785510;background-image: -webkit-gradient( linear, left bottom, left top, from( #e8cb90 ), to( #d6ad5a ) );background-image: linear-gradient( to top, #e8cb90, #d6ad5a )}.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box.link-area-box-hover .fusion-content-box-button .fusion-button-text {color: #785510;}\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-link-icon-hover .heading .icon > span {\n\t\t\t\t\t\tbackground-color: #e9a825 !important;\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box-hover .heading .icon > span {\n\t\t\t\t\t\tborder-color: #e9a825 !important;\n\t\t\t\t\t}<\/style><div class=\"fusion-column content-box-column content-box-column content-box-column-1 col-lg-12 col-md-12 col-sm-12 fusion-content-box-hover content-box-column-last content-box-column-last-in-row\"><div class=\"col content-box-wrapper content-wrapper link-area-box icon-hover-animation-fade\" style=\"background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0);\" data-animationOffset=\"100%\"><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><div class=\"content-container\" style=\"color:#707070;\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-11119 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mathsweek.ie\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Problem-Solving.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mathsweek.ie\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Problem-Solving-66x66.png 66w, https:\/\/www.mathsweek.ie\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Problem-Solving-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.mathsweek.ie\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Problem-Solving-200x200.png 200w, https:\/\/www.mathsweek.ie\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Problem-Solving-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.mathsweek.ie\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Problem-Solving.png 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .heading-link:hover .icon i.circle-yes,\n\t\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box:hover .heading-link .icon i.circle-yes,\n\t\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-link-icon-hover .heading .icon i.circle-yes,\n\t\t\t\t\t\t.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .link-area-box-hover .heading .icon i.circle-yes {\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tbackground-color: #e9a825 !important;\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tborder-color: #e9a825 !important;\n\t\t\t\t\t\t}<\/style><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-7 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-one-full fusion-column-first fusion-column-last\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-sep-clear\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-separator fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;width:100%;\"><div class=\"fusion-separator-border sep-double\" style=\"border-color:#eaeaea;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-sep-clear\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-8 fusion_builder_column_1_2 1_2 fusion-one-half fusion-column-first\" style=\"width:50%;width:calc(50% - ( ( 4% ) * 0.5 ) );margin-right: 4%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-1\"><p><strong>Why Problem Solving? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Problem solving has been cited by the National Research Council and PISA as an important skill for the workplace.<\/p>\n<p>Students need to prepare for careers that require the ability to work effectively in groups and to apply their problem-solving skills in these social situations (Brannick and Prince, 1997; Griffin et al., 2011; National Research Council, 2011; Rosen and Rimor, 2012).<\/p>\n<p>PISA explains that \u201ctoday\u2019s workplaces demand people who can solve problems in concert with others\u201d and \u201cemployers are willing to pay higher wages for people with well-honed problem-solving and social skills\u201d.\u00a0 (Collaborative Problem Solving, PISA Results, Volume V, 2015, p.32).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Can we develop Problem Solving Skills?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Problem solving skills make us feel more comfortable when facing a new challenge. Developing our problem-solving skills means improving our strategic thinking, it helps us to find appropriate strategies and enables us to think of different ways to approach a problem. Such skills can be learned and improved through constantly challenging ourselves. The immediate feeling of success when having solved a problem is extremely rewarding. We become more confident and are encouraged to practise and tackle increasingly complex challenges.<\/p>\n<p>However, if students are rewarded for quickly attaining the correct answer, and their effort and resilience is not acknowledged then this develops a fixed mindset and can hamper students\u2019 progress later in life. A fixed mindset describes someone who believes that their level of intelligence cannot be changed. They are born with a certain limit on what they can achieve and nothing they do will change this. Somebody with a growth mindset believes that their intelligence can grow depending on the amount of effort they put in.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-9 fusion_builder_column_1_2 1_2 fusion-one-half fusion-column-last\" style=\"width:50%;width:calc(50% - ( ( 4% ) * 0.5 ) );margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-2\"><p>It is important to encourage a positive attitude towards maths\/problem solving in the students, to nurture a \u2018can do\u2019 approach in an informal setting and to inspire them to develop strategies to solve maths problems and puzzles.<\/p>\n<p>Working on a solution to a problem in a team is usually more effective: you support each other, you share ideas, you build on each other\u2019s ideas and you are more likely to find a fast and simple \/ appropriate strategy to solve the problem you\u2019re facing. This makes the project more fun and finding a solution together is a very motivating (but also challenging) experience that adds to everyone\u2019s personal development.<\/p>\n<p>Each problem may be solved by a unique strategy \u2013 but often several approaches can help to find a solution and many strategies can be applied to more than just one single problem. By practising and becoming more skilled in discovering these, we strengthen our strategic thinking. We also develop what is called lateral thinking: it becomes easier for us to see the problem in a different light, thus being able to solve it in a more creative way and using strategies that we may not have associated with a particular problem in the first place. We learn how to transfer problem solving strategies and by doing so become confident in new situations.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-3 nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);background-position: center center;background-repeat: no-repeat;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;margin-bottom: 0px;margin-top: 0px;border-width: 0px 0px 0px 0px;border-color:#eaeaea;border-style:solid;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-10 fusion_builder_column_1_4 1_4 fusion-one-fourth fusion-column-first\" style=\"width:25%;width:calc(25% - ( ( 4% + 4% + 4% ) * 0.25 ) );margin-right: 4%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-align-block\"><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-button.button-5 {border-radius:2px;}<\/style><a class=\"fusion-button button-flat fusion-button-default-size button-default button-5 fusion-button-default-span fusion-button-default-type\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mathsweek.ie\/2025\/developing-problem-solving-skills\/\"><span class=\"fusion-button-text\">1. Problem Solving Introduction<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-11 fusion_builder_column_1_4 1_4 fusion-one-fourth\" style=\"width:25%;width:calc(25% - ( ( 4% + 4% + 4% ) * 0.25 ) );margin-right: 4%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-align-block\"><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-button.button-6 {border-radius:2px;}<\/style><a class=\"fusion-button button-flat fusion-button-default-size button-default button-6 fusion-button-default-span fusion-button-default-type\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mathsweek.ie\/2025\/developing-problem-solving-skills\/\"><span class=\"fusion-button-text\">Next: Developing Problem Solving Skills<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-12 fusion_builder_column_1_4 1_4 fusion-one-fourth\" style=\"width:25%;width:calc(25% - ( ( 4% + 4% + 4% ) * 0.25 ) );margin-right: 4%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-align-block\"><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-button.button-7 {border-radius:2px;}<\/style><a class=\"fusion-button button-flat fusion-button-default-size button-default button-7 fusion-button-default-span fusion-button-default-type\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mathsweek.ie\/2025\/encourage-reflective-thinking\/\"><span class=\"fusion-button-text\">3. Encouraging Reflective Thinking<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-13 fusion_builder_column_1_4 1_4 fusion-one-fourth fusion-column-last\" style=\"width:25%;width:calc(25% - ( ( 4% + 4% + 4% ) * 0.25 ) );margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-align-block\"><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-button.button-8 {border-radius:2px;}<\/style><a class=\"fusion-button button-flat fusion-button-default-size button-default button-8 fusion-button-default-span fusion-button-default-type\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mathsweek.ie\/2025\/problem-solving-skills-session\/\"><span class=\"fusion-button-text\">4. Problem Solving Skills Session<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-7314","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Problem Solving Introduction &#8211; MATHS WEEK IRELAND<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Maths Week will take place from 11 - 19 Oct. 2025. We will have events and activities for all the family. 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