Patterns: number patterns and simple rules – Week 9 focus
Download the Lessonotes Mobile South Africa app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
Subject: Mathematics
Class: Grade 1
Term: 2nd Term
Week: 9
Theme: General lesson support
This page supports the lesson note with a companion video and a short classroom-ready summary.
For class groups and homework, share this lesson page so learners also get the summary, objectives, and full lesson context.
Patterns are everywhere around us, from the colours of a soccer team's jersey to the way bricks are arranged in a house, to the repeating sounds in a song. Understanding patterns helps us to predict what comes next, and this skill is useful in many aspects of life. For example, if a spaza shop sells sweets in packs of five, knowing this pattern allows us to quickly calculate how many sweets are in several packs. Developing this understanding early on helps learners build a solid foundation for more complex mathematical concepts later on. This week, we'll be focusing on number patterns and identifying simple rules that govern them.
A pattern is a sequence that repeats or changes in a predictable way. In mathematics, a number pattern is a sequence of numbers that follow a specific rule. The rule explains how to get from one number in the pattern to the next. For example, in the pattern 2, 4, 6, 8, the rule is "add 2". Types of Number Patterns (Focusing on Addition and Subtraction): Increasing Patterns (Addition): These patterns increase in value as you move along the sequence. The rule involves adding a constant number.
Example: 1, 3, 5, 7... (Rule: Add 2)
Decreasing Patterns (Subtraction): These patterns decrease in value as you move along the sequence. The rule involves subtracting a constant number.
Example: 10, 8, 6, 4... (Rule: Subtract 2)
How to Identify the Rule: Look at the first two numbers: Determine if the second number is larger or smaller than the first.
Calculate the difference: If the second number is larger, subtract the first number from the second. If it's smaller, subtract the second number from the first. This difference is the number that is being added or subtracted.
Check with the next number: See if the same rule applies to the following numbers in the pattern. For example, if you determined the rule is "add 2", check if adding 2 to the second number gives you the third number, and so on.
Write the rule: Clearly state the rule (e.g., "Add 2", "Subtract 1").
Examples: Example 1: Increasing Pattern Pattern: 5, 7, 9, __, __ The numbers are increasing. 7 - 5 =
2. Does adding 2 to 7 give 9? Yes.
Rule: Add 2 To complete the pattern: 9 + 2 = 11 and 11 + 2 =
1
3. So, the complete pattern is 5, 7, 9, 11,
1
3. Example 2: Decreasing Pattern Pattern: 12, 10, 8, __, __ The numbers are decreasing. 12 - 10 = 2 Does subtracting 2 from 10 give 8? Yes.
Rule: Subtract 2 To complete the pattern: 8 - 2 = 6 and 6 - 2 =
4. So, the complete pattern is 12, 10, 8, 6,
4. Example 3: Finding a Missing Number Pattern: 3, __, 7, 9 The numbers appear to be increasing Consider the numbers surrounding the unknown value - 7 and
9. The difference between them is 2 (9-7=2). This suggests a rule of +
2. If we add 2 to 3, we get
5. Checking the remaining numbers, 5+2=7 and 7+2=
9. The missing number is
5. The full pattern is 3, 5, 7,
9. Rule: Add
2. Example 4: Applying to a simple word problem Sipho collects rocks. He collects 2 rocks on Monday, 4 rocks on Tuesday, 6 rocks on Wednesday. If he continues this pattern, how many rocks will he collect on Thursday and Friday?
Write down the sequence: 2, 4, 6, __, __ Notice the numbers are increasing. 4-2 =2, and 6-4=
2. The rule is +
2. To find Thursday, we add 2 to 6: 6+2 =
8. To find Friday, we add 2 to 8: 8+2=
1
0. Sipho will collect 8 rocks on Thursday and 10 rocks on Friday. Guided Practice (With Solutions)
Question 1: Complete the pattern: 1, 4, 7, __, __. What is the rule?
Solution: The numbers are increasing. 4 - 1 = 3 7 - 4 = 3 The rule is "Add 3". 7 + 3 = 10 and 10 + 3 = 13 The complete pattern is 1, 4, 7, 10,
1
3. Question 2: Complete the pattern: 15, 13, 11, __, __. What is the rule?
Solution: The numbers are decreasing. 15 - 13 = 2 13 - 11 = 2 The rule is "Subtract 2". 11 - 2 = 9 and 9 - 2 = 7 The complete pattern is 15, 13, 11, 9,
7. Question 3: What number is missing in the pattern: 4, 6, __, 10? What is the rule?
Solution: The numbers appear to be increasing. Consider the difference between known consecutive numbers, such as 4 and 6 (6 - 4 = 2). Also, the difference between 10 and the number before is probably also 2, so 10-2 =
8. Thus, the missing number is most likely
8. Checking: 4 + 2 = 6, 6 + 2 = 8, 8 + 2 =
1
0. The complete pattern is 4, 6, 8,
1
0. The rule is "Add 2".
Question 4: Thando is building a tower of blocks. She uses 3 blocks on the first level, 5 blocks on the second level, and 7 blocks on the third level. If she continues this pattern, how many blocks will she use on the fourth and fifth levels? What is the rule?
Solution: Write down the sequence: 3, 5, 7, __, __ Notice the numbers are increasing. 5 - 3 = 2 and 7 - 5 =
2. So the rule is "Add 2". Add 2 to the third level value (7) to get the value for the fourth level: 7 + 2 = 9 Add 2 to the fourth level value (9) to get the value for the fifth level: 9 + 2 = 11 She will use 9 blocks on the fourth level and 11 blocks on the fifth level. The rule is "Add 2". Independent Practice (Questions Only)
Complete the pattern: 2, 5, 8, __, __. What is the rule?
Complete the pattern: 20, 18, 16, __, __. What is the rule?
What number is missing in the pattern: 1, 3, __, 7? What is the rule?
What number is missing in the pattern: 14, 12, __, 8? What is the rule?
Complete the pattern: __, 6, 8, 10, __. What is the rule?
Complete the pattern: 17, __, 13, 11, __. What is the rule? Sipho plants seeds in rows. He plants 4 seeds in the first row, 6 seeds in the second row, and 8 seeds in the third row. If he continues this pattern, how many seeds will he plant in the fourth and fifth rows? What is the rule? A bakery sells cakes.