#778. Detecting Patterns

Mathematics, level: Elementary
Posted Tue Jan 5 08:00:58 PST 1999 by RHL (rhl@rhlschool.com).
RHL School
RHL School, U.S.
Materials Required: Provided
Activity Time: 25 minutes (Approx.)
Concepts Taught: Problem Solving

Detecting Patterns

Sometimes detectives solve mysteries by noticing patterns. Patterns can sometimes help you predict what will happen next or what may have happened somewhere in a sequence of events.

Study each sequence of numbers and see if you can decide what number is missing based on the pattern.

1. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, _____

2. 20, 15, 10, _____, 0

3. 72, 64, 56, 48, 40, _____, 24, 16

4. 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, _____

5. 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49, _____, 81, 100

6. 0, 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, 21, 28, 36, _____, 55

7. 6, 6, 7, 9, 8, 6, _____

Clue: Don't be in a daze about days.

8. 1 uses 1, 2 uses 2, 3 uses 3, 4 uses 2, 5 uses _____, 6 uses 2

Clue: Romans could count on this pattern.

Copyright 1998 RHL