This week’s challenge gives us a way to look at how enlarging shapes and images works. We’re using pixelated images to explore this idea.
Challenge On Boarding – 8 x 8 pixelated images
Getting key features into an image •Some images are ok pixelated if they originate as computer images (the creeper from Minecraft is an example. A space invader alien might be another)
Most pixelated images are approximations and you would have to think how to get enough detail to make them recognisable
How many of these images can you make out? How did you recognise it?
This image is from an app where you colour in pixelated images called coloring pixels 8×8
Using Coordinates

It can be tricky to get each pixel in the right place. Having a specified location for each pixel can help when getting started.
You can use a range of pixels e.g. B5 – C6 (the creeper’s eye), like spreadsheets do
Alternatively, you cold just highlight the rows (like with the basketball player) and then go row by row figuring out pixels. (this is more or less how a fax machine worked)
Enlarging the Image

If we make the grid twice as high and twice as wide, every pixel can be turned into 4 pixels. This is enlarged by scale factor 2 (even though the area is 4 times the size)
The more pixels you have the more detail you can add. In this case, I’ve added more colours to the eyes and added a mouth that wasn’t possible on the smaller image.
Digital camera images contain anywhere up to 64 million pixels! How many pixels on these 8×8 images?
Challenge 1 – Copy or create an 8×8 pixelated image
Use the images and grids below to help you make an 8×8 pixelated image.

Challenge 2 – Use coordinates to create an image
The coordinates below will produce an 8×8 pixelated image. Can you recognise what or who it is? Colour in the coordinates using the colours shown with each set.

Challenge 3 – Enlarge your image and add more detail
Choose one of the images that you’ve already done and enlarge it to a 16×16 grid.
Try changing some pixel colours to add more detail to the image.

Download or share all of these challenges with this pdf and let us know how you got on with it by tweeting using #momentofmaths and start to see Every moment is a #momentofmaths