Patterns and Sequences
Ages 9–13Difficulty adapts to you
Patterns and Sequences
A pattern or sequence follows a mathematical rule. Algebra helps you write that rule as a formula, so you can find any term in the sequence.
Your goals
- ✓You can find and describe number patterns using rules.
- ✓You can use term, term-to-term rule correctly.
- ✓You can test your rule on more than one step.
Words to know
- term:
- One value in a sequence.
- term-to-term rule:
- A rule that tells how to get from one term to the next.
Examples
- 12, 5, 8, 11, ... — rule: add 3 each time. Formula: 3n − 1
- 23, 6, 12, 24, ... — rule: multiply by 2 each time.
Check these
- • Do not confuse the term number with the term's value.
- • Keep every number, symbol, label, and unit in its correct place.
- • Show enough working to check how you reached your answer.
Helpful habits
- • Read the whole question before choosing what to do.
- • Show one clear step at a time and check each step.
- • If you are stuck, draw a model, try smaller numbers, or revisit the example.
Now try your own
Create your own patterns and sequences example, solve it, and explain how you checked it.
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Helpful Hints“Use your fingers or objects to count — it helps!”