Understanding Numeric Patterns Worksheets
This is a very valuable skill to have. When you see a series data, for the first time, being able to make sense of how it flows and spot possible trends or rules within the set holds a great deal of value for the people that can benefit from understanding the numeric pattern that may or may not exist. This can often make or break many small businesses. They first must understand what data is important and then they need to analyze those key metrics that exist. This series of worksheets and lessons helps students find and determine the sequence in various numeric patterns. This is the fundamental step towards helping numbers make sense to you.
Aligned Standard: 4.OA.C.5
- Rule Based Patterns Step-by-Step Lesson- These patterns have a set rule about them and take some thinking to solve.
- Guided Lesson - The why is where we usually find that students lose it a bit here.
- Guided Lesson Explanation - We breakdown the explanation in a nice set pattern for you.
- Practice Worksheet - Work out the sequences and then create your own.
- Matching Worksheet - Match the missing sequences with the parts it needs to be complete.
- Worksheet Five Pack - Don't let these simple patterns throw you of the scent of the answer.
- Addition Patterns Lesson and Practice - Connect the matching patterns. A bit elementary with this one.
- What's My Pattern? - Keep the pattern going.
- Finish It Off! - What is the last part of this pattern? Try to finish it off.
- Patterns with Shapes and Pictures - Very common icons are used to help you complete this one.
- Pattern Completion Worksheet - Rain on the Maple leaves create a cool pattern.
- Shape Patterns Lesson Worksheet - Translate the shapes to numeric patterns to figure out what the sequence is.
- Shape Patterns Worksheet - What shape would come next, if the pattern continued on?
- Answer Keys - These are for all the unlocked materials above.
Homework Sheets
We use patterns of all types for this. Those with numbers and shapes. We also have you work off of your own pattern.
- Numbers Homework 1 - We will need to add 5 three times to find the missing numbers
- What's Last Homework 2 - In the sequence the first color is orange and the second color is light green. The third or fourth color are same as first and second, Fifth and sixth as same as first and second. The seventh is orange and last one is light green.
- Use Pattern Homework 3 - The first number is 6, for finding second number.
Practice Worksheets
The practice follow suit with the homework.
- Next Three Practice 1 - Write the next three numbers in the pattern.
- Last Color Practice 2 - Look at the colored shape patterns carefully. Follow the pattern and color the last shape.
- Finish Pattern Practice 3 - 1. Add 5, 2. Subtract 2, 3. Multiply by 3 and repeat sequence. If the pattern starts after the number below, fill in the next 6 numbers.
Math Skill Quizzes
I used all the skills in each quiz. I thought it was important for kids to see all the pattern types on one page,
- Quiz 1 - Examine the number pattern and look for differences between the numbers.
- Quiz 2 - Start out by looking for a difference between numbers in all of these cases.
- Quiz 3 - Put it all together here. There will be the typical series of numbers, but you will also work with visuals.
What Can You Do with This Skill?
You were always told do well in math and their will be a great job waiting for you when you graduate. In today’s economy this could not be more true. One profession that is becoming one of the most competitive entry level jobs on Wall Street is quantitative analysts or quant for short. Because of the competitive nature of this field and the high demand it is common for the salaries with bonus compensation to ellipse a million dollars annually. What earns them this almost ridiculous fortune? To simplify it, they spot patterns in data sets. Their jobs are rooted in mathematics, financial principles, and using computers to help them achieve this. Yes, the data series and algorithms that they are analyzing and creating are complex and sophisticated, but at the fundamental level what we just explored here is what they are doing.
A New Way of Diagnosing Numeric Patterns
When you are diagnosing a data set to find a numeric pattern, we often approach this by trying to prove that it fits a certain rule or counting sequence. That is because we have been conditioned to take this approach with most of experience in math. While this is not necessarily wrong or improper at all, we do need to open to the reality that it is not the only way to do things.
One approach that is helpful is to prove what it is not first. What I mean by this is to rule out all of the sequences that clearly do not fit a certain type of pattern. As you begin to understand the nature of the data that you are analyzing, you will begin to form a method for analyzing numeric sequences that fit that nature. I would encourage you to create a simple diagnostic procedure. It is not as difficult as it sounds, just get in the habit of understanding what you are working with. Also realize that when we are out in the real world and we are attempting to spot numeric patterns, it is perfectly acceptable for a pattern not to be present or loosely present in full.