Patterns are things that repeat in a certain way. We can find patterns in shapes, numbers, and even in our daily routines! Recognizing patterns helps us predict what comes next. Let’s learn how to spot and continue patterns.
Imagine you have some blocks. First, you have one block. Then, two more blocks are added, and then two more. What comes next? The pattern is adding two blocks each time. So, the next set will have two more blocks added. The rule here is to add two blocks: one on the bottom row and one on the top row.
Now, let’s look at triangles. First, there are four triangles, then three, then a missing set, and finally one triangle. What should the missing set be? The number of triangles goes down by one each time: four, three, blank, one. The triangles also flip direction, facing up and down. The rule is to take away one triangle each time. So, the missing set will have two triangles.
When we skip count, we also see patterns. For example, if we skip count by twos on a 100 chart, every even number is highlighted. The rule is that the number goes up by two each time.
When we count by threes, every third number is highlighted, creating a diagonal pattern. The rule here is that the number increases by three.
If we have a set of numbers and need to find the missing ones or continue the pattern, we can follow these steps:
First, look at the pattern. Is it going up or down?
Find out how much the numbers change from one to the next. This will help you find the pattern rule. Use this rule to find the missing numbers or continue the pattern.
Make sure the numbers you found fit the pattern rule.
Let’s try this pattern: 5, 10, 15, 20, blank, 30, 35, and blank.
Step 1: The numbers are going up.
Step 2: Each number is 5 more than the one before. So, the rule is to add 5. The complete pattern is 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40.
Step 3: Check that each number is 5 more than the last one.
Now, try this pattern: 181, 171, 161, blank, 141, 131, and 121.
Step 1: The numbers are going down.
Step 2: Each number is 10 less than the one before. The rule is to subtract 10. The complete pattern is 181, 171, 161, 151, 141, 131, 121.
Step 3: Check that each number is 10 less than the last one.
Patterns are everywhere! By understanding how they work, you can solve puzzles and even make your own patterns. Keep practicing, and you’ll become a pattern expert in no time!
Create Your Own Pattern: Gather some colorful blocks or beads. Create a pattern using these items, such as red, blue, red, blue. Ask a friend or family member to guess what comes next in your pattern. Try making a more complex pattern by adding another color or shape. Can they still guess it?
Pattern Hunt: Go on a pattern hunt around your home or classroom. Look for patterns in wallpaper, tiles, or even in the way books are arranged on a shelf. Draw or take a picture of the patterns you find. Share your discoveries with the class and see who found the most interesting pattern!
Number Pattern Game: With a partner, take turns creating a number pattern. Start with a number and decide on a rule, like adding 3 or subtracting 2. Write down the first few numbers and leave a blank for your partner to fill in. Can they figure out the rule and continue the pattern?
Here is a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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A pattern is something that repeats. We can look for, recognize, and extend patterns in sets of shapes. We can recognize and write a pattern rule to help us extend the pattern or fill in a missing piece of the pattern.
We start with one block. We can see that two blocks were added here, and then two more blocks are added. What would the next set be in this pattern? The number of blocks increases by two each time. Also, think about the placement of the blocks. The pattern rule for this example is to increase by two squares: one block added to the bottom row and one block added to the top row. This is the next set in the pattern.
Let’s try another one. Here we have four triangles, next we have three triangles, then we have a missing set, and finally, we have one triangle. We need to figure out what the missing set is. Notice that the number of triangles decreases by one: four, three, blank, one. Also, notice the pattern of the triangles; they alternate facing up and down. The pattern rule for this example is to decrease by one triangle. This is the missing set in the pattern.
When we talked about skip counting, we looked for patterns on a 100 chart. We can see a pattern when we skip count by twos; every even number is highlighted, and there is a pattern of vertical rows. We can also write the pattern rule for this example: the number increases by two.
We can see a pattern when we count by threes; every third number is highlighted, and there is a pattern of diagonal rows. The pattern rule is that the number increases by three.
If we had a set of numbers in a pattern and needed to find the missing numbers or continue the pattern, we would follow these steps:
**Step 1:** Read and understand the problem. Determine if the pattern is increasing or decreasing.
**Step 2:** Plan and solve the problem. Figure out the difference between numbers next to each other to help find the pattern rule. Use the pattern rule to help figure out the missing numbers or extend the pattern.
**Step 3:** Look back and check the pattern. Does the missing number you found fit the pattern rule?
Let’s try one: 5, 10, 15, 20, blank, 30, 35, and blank.
**Step 1:** Read and understand the problem. The pattern is increasing.
**Step 2:** Plan and solve the problem. Five plus what equals ten? Ten plus what equals fifteen? Fifteen plus what equals twenty? The difference between the numbers is five, so the pattern rule is to increase by five. I can count by fives to figure out the missing parts of the pattern. The complete pattern is 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40.
**Step 3:** Look back and check the pattern. Twenty-five is five more than twenty; this fits the pattern rule. Forty is five more than thirty-five; this fits the pattern rule as well.
Take this example: 181, 171, 161, blank, 141, 131, and 121.
**Step 1:** I see one number that changes; it is in the tens column and it decreases.
**Step 2:** 181 minus 171 equals 10. 171 minus 161 equals 10. 141 minus 131 equals 10, and 131 minus 121 equals 10. I see that the tens column decreases by 1 or that the numbers decrease by 10. The pattern rule is to decrease by 10. I can count back by tens to figure out the missing parts of the pattern. The complete pattern would be 181, 171, 161, 151, 141, 131, and 121.
**Step 3:** 151 is 10 less than 161; this does fit the pattern.
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This version removes any informal language and clarifies the structure while maintaining the educational content.
