Patterns with counters

Patterns with counters

Pencil and paper
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Further Resources
This task is about continuing a pattern and describing the rule for the pattern.

 
Practical Task

Your teacher will give you some counters.
 

Shape 1
Shape 2
Shape 3
Shape 4
 
a)		  
Use the counters to make Shape 5 and Shape 6 in the pattern shown above. When you have made the shapes, either show them to your teacher or draw them in the space below.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Shape 5 Shape 6
 
b)
 
Tell your teacher, or write down in words, how this pattern has been made.
 
 
 
 
 
Task administration: 
This task is completed with pencil and paper, and other equipment.
Equipment: 25 counters of the same colour per student.
Level:
3
Curriculum info: 
Maths, Number and Algebra, Patterns and relationships
Keywords: 
spatial patterns, rules
Description of task: 
In this practical task, students use counters to continue a spatial pattern, then describe a rule to show how the pattern was made.
Learning Progression Frameworks
This resource can provide evidence of learning associated with
Patterns and relationships, sets 4-5
within the Mathematics Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Read more about the Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Answers/responses: 

 

 

a)


                  Shape 5
 

                       Shape 6

b)

For any 1 of:

  • Add one more counter to both the top and bottom rows.
  • The bottom row has the same number of counters as the shape number and the top row has one less counter than the bottom row.
  • 2 × shape number -1.
  • Other correct rules.

or

  • Add two (counters for each new shape).