Patterns & Sequences · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Patterns and sequences

Mathematics · Geometry · ages 6-7
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Look at the pattern: red, red, blue, red, red, blue. What is the rule?

    redredblueredredblue
    • One red then one blue
    • Two reds then one blue, repeating
    • Blue, blue, red

  2. Sam says the next shape in triangle, circle, triangle, circle is triangle. Is Sam right?

    Circle one:   True   False

  3. The pattern is 2, 4, 6, 8. What comes next?

    Answer: ______________

  4. What comes next? star, heart, star, heart, star, ___

    starheartstarheartstar
    • heart
    • star
    • circle

  5. Which list shows a repeating pattern?

    • 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2
    • 1, 3, 2, 4, 5, 1
    • 2, 5, 8, 3, 9, 4
    • 1, 2, 4, 7, 11, 16

  6. The pattern is 3, 6, 9, 12. What comes next?

    Answer: ______________

  7. The pattern is 5, 10, 15, 20. What is the rule?

    • add 10 each time
    • take away 5 each time
    • add 3 each time
    • add 5 each time

  8. Look at the pattern: star, heart, star, heart, star, heart. How many times does the group 'star, heart' repeat?

    starheartstarheartstarheart

    Answer: ______________

  9. Which of these is a repeating pattern you could build with blocks?

    • green, orange, yellow, pink, purple
    • green, orange, green, orange, green, orange
    • green, green, green, orange

  10. You build towers with 3, 6, 9 cubes. How many cubes in the next tower?

    • 15
    • 12
    • 10
    • 11
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Patterns and sequences W1-mt_WXW0hjNhph-s1

  1. Two reds then one blue, repeating · Two reds always come before one blue, then the group starts again: red, red, blue.
  2. True · The pair triangle plus circle repeats, so triangle is next.
  3. 10 · Each step adds 2, so 8 plus 2 is 10.
  4. heart · The pattern repeats star, heart. After star comes heart, just like every time before.
  5. 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2 · Only the first list repeats the unit 1 plus 2.
  6. 15 · Each step adds 3, so 12 plus 3 is 15.
  7. add 5 each time · Each number is 5 more than the last.
  8. 3 · Star, heart is the repeating group. It shows up three times in the pattern.
  9. green, orange, green, orange, green, orange · Green, orange, green, orange, green, orange keeps repeating the same two colours, so it is a true pattern. The other choices never settle into a repeating group.
  10. 12 · The rule adds 3 each time, so 9 plus 3 is 12.
Worksheet · LightMySky