---
title: "Describing Rules & Patterns"
description: "When you notice a pattern repeating, describe it as a rule that works every time — then test whether the rule holds in new cases"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/learning-to-learn/describing-rules-and-patterns-mt_hbe_kdE_7C
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/learning-to-learn/describing-rules-and-patterns-mt_hbe_kdE_7C.md
retrieved: 2026-10-19
---

> **Agent view.** This is the Markdown twin of the page, for tools and assistants.
> When to use this site, and the call that answers each job: https://lightmysky.com/agent-instructions.md
> API description (OpenAPI 3.1): https://lightmysky.com/openapi.json · Authentication: https://lightmysky.com/auth.md
> Pricing: https://lightmysky.com/pricing.md · Catalog: https://lightmysky.com/llms.txt · Full catalog: https://lightmysky.com/llms-full.txt
> Every machine-readable file on this domain: https://lightmysky.com/.well-known/ai-catalog.json
> Ask for Markdown with `Accept: text/markdown`, a `.md` address, or `?mode=agent`.

# Describing Rules & Patterns

When you notice a pattern repeating, describe it as a rule that works every time — then test whether the rule holds in new cases

Subject: Learning to Learn · Area: Learning to Learn · Ages 8 to 9
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/learning-to-learn/describing-rules-and-patterns-mt_hbe_kdE_7C

## Ready when they can

- Describe a pattern or rule they've noticed in their own words — e.g. 'Every time you add 0 to a number, it stays the same'
- Test whether a rule they've described holds for new examples they haven't seen before
- Explain the difference between noticing a pattern and proving it always works

## Lesson: Turning a Pattern into a Rule

You already know how to spot a pattern. The next step is to put that pattern into words as a rule. A rule is a sentence that tells what happens every single time, not just once.

*(drawing: Look at this pattern: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. The rule is add 2 to get the next number.)*

**Example.** Mia looks at 5, 10, 15, 20 and says her rule out loud: every number is 5 more than the last one. To check it, she tries a new number the pattern has not used yet. She adds 5 to 20 and gets 25. The pattern keeps going, so her rule holds.

**Tip.** Noticing a pattern once is a good start, but it does not prove your rule works. Test your rule on new examples you have not seen before. If it holds every time, you can trust it.

**Recap.** Turn a pattern into a rule, then test the rule on new examples before you trust it.

## Practice

14 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Needs first

- [Spotting Patterns](https://lightmysky.com/learn/learning-to-learn/spotting-patterns-mt_wvcFlwOrDl)

## Opens up

- [Fair testing (age 9+)](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/fair-testing-age-9-mt_5PgQB0QkWi)
- [Generalising from repeated reasoning](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/generalising-from-repeated-reasoning-mt_aivrWs6jrS)
- [Generalising with repeated reasoning](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/generalising-with-repeated-reasoning-mt_iyovKgZC1q)
- [Reasoning with Equivalences](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/reasoning-with-equivalences-mt_jCy07DyBNU)
- [Checking sources against each other](https://lightmysky.com/learn/history/checking-sources-against-each-other-mt_wWlZoLQBR6)
- [Correlation vs Causation](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/correlation-vs-causation-mt_X0Tr8IYaEd)