Magic Squares: Sums and Shapes
What are magic squares?
A magic square is an n x n square with a whole number written inside each cell, so that the sum of the numbers in every row, in every column and in each of the main diagonals is equal. This number is called the magic number.
The main diagonals are those that stretch from corner to corner. This image is an example of a 3 by 3 magic square. The sum of each row, each column and each of the two main diagonals is 15, so 15 is the magic number of this magic square. This is the smallest possible magic square and this has been known for thousands of years. It even has a special name: the Lo Shu magic square.
Use the activity sheet below to solve the magic squares.
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