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Inquiry Maths is a model of learning that encourages students to regulate their own activity while exploring a mathematical prompt (an equation, a statement or a diagram). Inquiries involve questioning, conjecturing, generalising and proving and, when required, listening to or giving an explanation.
In Inquiry Maths lessons, students learn to take responsibility for directing the inquiry while the teacher acts as the arbiter of legitimate mathematical knowledge and activity.
Inquiry Maths establishes a culture of curiosity, collaboration and openness in the classroom. Students meet new concepts and procedures when they are necessary, meaningful and connected – necessary to make progress on a line of inquiry, meaningful in the context of the inquiry, and connected to other concepts and procedures in the field of inquiry.
New on the site
New on the site
Year 8 students created a line of inquiry for the percentages prompt that extends the inquiry into reverse percentages.
October 2025
Zelimir Jovicic, a teacher in Warsaw, devised the implicit differentiation prompt for his year 13 class to explore and reason.
October 2025
The latest peer-reviewed research shows inquiry fosters deep engagement and enhances conceptual understanding.
October 2025
Most viewed inquiries last week
Most viewed inquiries last week
The Mathematics Hub funded by the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment recommends 50 inquiries from the Inquiry Maths website.
What students say about Inquiry Maths
What students say about Inquiry Maths
A year 7 student gives written feedback (above) and Year 11 students evaluate an Inquiry Maths lesson (below).
Generating interest
Husine, a year 12 Further Maths A-level student, supported a year 7 lesson during the combined transformations inquiry. Afterwards, he compared his experience to the inquiry lesson:
"When we were in year 7 we just learnt how to do things, like reflections, without thinking about it. In the inquiry you dig into why things are the way they are.
"I was really surprised by the connections between the transformations. The inquiry was much better because the students were really interested."
Questioning and noticing
Questioning and noticing
"It was a new technique, a maths prompt. For some reason questions just flew out of me." Year 6
"My maths this week using a prompt has improved significantly because I have noticed and seen things I didn't even know was possible." Year 6
"I ask lots more questions in maths after doing inquiry lessons. Last week I made up my own inquiry on enlargements." Year 8
Learning and thinking
Learning and thinking
“Doing Inquiry Maths was the best maths lesson I ever had because it taught me how to think." Year 7
"I feel like I learn a lot more in inquiry lessons because they're more engaging." Year 8
"The inquiry was so interesting that it was the first time I talked about my maths lessons at home." Year 7
Regulation and independence
Regulation and independence
"I used to just explore a problem without an aim, but now I have to stop and decide what to do." Year 10
"Having a say in the direction of the inquiry makes me work harder." Year 10
"My independent learning ability has improved. It made me think outside the box!" Year 11
What teachers say about Inquiry Maths
What teachers say about Inquiry Maths
Inspirational and joyful classrooms
Inspirational and joyful classrooms
"The students’ responses were inspiring, amazing, and truly beyond any of my expectations." Michelle Cole
"It was an absolute joy to teach in this way." Emmy Bennett
"I was blown away by the by the depth of student responses." Devon Burger
"I didn’t expect the level of commitment and mathematical language from the class. It was one of the best lessons I have had with them!" Shawki Dayekh
"Some brilliant work from the students. One of those lessons that makes you love being a teacher." Chris McGrane
Communities of inquirers
Communities of inquirers
"The whole class came together to collaborate on the inquiry. The energy in the room contributed to a brilliant sense of community." Zack Miodownik
"An inquiry approach is ideal for a mixed attainment class because it supports and challenges all students and allows them to direct their own learning." Helen Hindle
"It was astonishing to see such interesting questions being articulated and then students working collaboratively to answer them. There were lots of 'aha' moments and the whole class was engaged at a level I hadn't seen before." Raj Vara
Learning maths through inquiry
"I love the focus in Inquiry Maths on developing mathematical behaviours in students whilst keeping the integrity of the subject." Claire Lee
"Inquiry Maths empowers students by giving them a voice. It celebrates the value of an individual's ideas, whilst linking those ideas to a wider web of mathematical thinking." Jhahida Miah
"The Inquiry Maths process gave the students the experience of being real mathematicians, something which is far too rarely the case in schools. They loved it." Luke Pearce
www.inquirymaths.org
www.inquirymaths.org
Dr Andrew Blair, a secondary school teacher in London (UK), created the website in 2012 to promote inquiry learning in mathematics classrooms.
Independent of all companies and organisations, the site is being developed in collaboration with teachers from around the world. Their experiences and reflections enrich its pages.
Feedback
Feedback
We welcome feedback from teachers who use Inquiry Maths prompts in the classroom. Contact Inquiry Maths
Acknowledgement
Acknowledgement
The Gatsby Charitable Foundation awarded a grant to Andrew Blair in 2004-05 to develop the first five prompts on the Inquiry Maths website.
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