Problem-Solving Strategy:

Look for a pattern

Strategy:

1.Understand
2.Plan
3.Solve
Question:

Carol has written a number

pattern that begins with 1, 3,
6, 10, 15. If she continues this
pattern, what are the next
four numbers in her pattern?
 UNDERSTAND:

What do you need to find?

You need to find 4 numbers after

15.
 PLAN:

How can you solve the problem?

You canfind a pattern. Look at

the numbers. The new number
depends upon the number before
it.
 SOLVE:

Look at the numbers in the pattern.

3 = 1 + 2 (starting number is 1, add 2 to

make 3)

6 = 3 + 3 (starting number is 3, add 3 to

make 6)

10 = 6 + 4 (starting number is 6, add 4

to make 10)

15 = 10 + 5 (starting number is 10, add

5 to make 15)
 New numbers 1 1
will be
2 3
15 + 6 = 21 3 6

21 + 7 = 28 4 10
5 15
28 + 8 = 36
6
36 + 9 = 45 7
8
9
 2-6 Problem-Solving Strategy: Look
for a Pattern
Example
Sara was trying to finish all her math homework on Friday. She did 3
problems the first 30 minutes, 4 problems the next 30 minutes, 6
problems the next 30 minutes, 9 problems the next 30 minutes, and so
forth. If she continues to work at this rate, how many problems will
she have done in 4 hours.
 Problem-Solving Strategy: Look for
a Pattern
Example
Sara was trying to finish all her math homework on Friday. She did 3
problems the first 30 minutes, 4 problems the next 30 minutes, 6
problems the next 30 minutes, 9 problems the next 30 minutes, and so
forth. If she continues to work at this rate, how many problems will
she have done in 4 hours.
Explore Sara worked 30 min per problem set.
Time worked number of problems worked
1st 30 min 3
2nd 30 min 4
3rd 30 min 6
4th 30 min 9
 Problem-Solving Strategy: Look for
a Pattern
Example
Sara was trying to finish all her math homework on Friday. She did 3
problems the first 30 minutes, 4 problems the next 30 minutes, 6
problems the next 30 minutes, 9 problems the next 30 minutes, and so
forth. If she continues to work at this rate, how many problems will
she have done in 4 hours.
Explore Sara worked 30 min per problem set.
Time worked number of problems worked
1st 30 min 3
2nd 30 min 4
3rd 30 min 6
4th 30 min 9
Plan Look for a pattern.
 Problem-Solving Strategy: Look for
a Pattern
Example
Sara was trying to finish all her math homework on Friday. She did 3
problems the first 30 minutes, 4 problems the next 30 minutes, 6
problems the next 30 minutes, 9 problems the next 30 minutes, and so
forth. If she continues to work at this rate, how many problems will
she have done in 4 hours.
Explore Sara worked 30 min per problem set.
Time worked number of problems worked
1st 30 min 3
2nd 30 min 4 increased by 1
3rd 30 min 6
4th 30 min 9
Plan Look for a pattern.
 Problem-Solving Strategy: Look for
a Pattern
Example
Sara was trying to finish all her math homework on Friday. She did 3
problems the first 30 minutes, 4 problems the next 30 minutes, 6
problems the next 30 minutes, 9 problems the next 30 minutes, and so
forth. If she continues to work at this rate, how many problems will
she have done in 4 hours.
Explore Sara worked 30 min per problem set.
Time worked number of problems worked
1st 30 min 3
2nd 30 min 4 increased by 1
3rd 30 min 6 increased by 2
4th 30 min 9
Plan Look for a pattern.
 Problem-Solving Strategy: Look for
a Pattern
Example
Sara was trying to finish all her math homework on Friday. She did 3
problems the first 30 minutes, 4 problems the next 30 minutes, 6
problems the next 30 minutes, 9 problems the next 30 minutes, and so
forth. If she continues to work at this rate, how many problems will
she have done in 4 hours.
Explore Sara worked 30 min per problem set.
Time worked number of problems worked
1st 30 min 3
2nd 30 min 4 increased by 1
3rd 30 min 6 increased by 2
4th 30 min 9 increased by 3
Plan Look for a pattern.
 Problem-Solving Strategy: Look for
a Pattern
Example
Sara was trying to finish all her math homework on Friday. She did 3
problems the first 30 minutes, 4 problems the next 30 minutes, 6
problems the next 30 minutes, 9 problems the next 30 minutes, and so
forth. If she continues to work at this rate, how many problems will
she have done in 4 hours.
Explore Sara worked 30 min per problem set.
Time worked number of problems worked
1st 30 min 3
2nd 30 min 4 increased by 1
3rd 30 min 6 increased by 2
4th 30 min 9 increased by 3
Plan Look for a pattern. The difference between
numbers increases by 1 each time.
 Problem-Solving Strategy: Look for
a Pattern
Solve Problems worked: 3 4

Time worked: 1hr

 Problem-Solving Strategy: Look for
a Pattern
Solve Problems worked: 3 4 6 9

Time worked: 1hr 2hr

 Problem-Solving Strategy: Look for
a Pattern
Solve Problems worked: 3 4 6 9 13 18

Time worked: 1hr 2hr 3hr

 Problem-Solving Strategy: Look for
a Pattern
Solve Problems worked: 3 4 6 9 13 18 24 31

Time worked: 1hr 2hr 3hr 4hr

 Problem-Solving Strategy: Look for
a Pattern
Solve Problems worked: 3 4 6 9 13 18 24 31

Time worked: 1hr 2hr 3hr 4hr

3 + 4 + 6 + 9 + 13 + 18 + 24 + 31 =
 Problem-Solving Strategy: Look for
a Pattern
Solve Problems worked: 3 4 6 9 13 18 24 31

Time worked: 1hr 2hr 3hr 4hr

3 + 4 + 6 + 9 + 13 + 18 + 24 + 31 =
108 problems
 Problem-Solving Strategy: Look for
a Pattern
Solve Problems worked: 3 4 6 9 13 18 24 31

Time worked: 1hr 2hr 3hr 4hr

3 + 4 + 6 + 9 + 13 + 18 + 24 + 31 =
108 problems

Examine Do the number of problems worked each half

hour follow the pattern?
 Problem-Solving Strategy: Look for
a Pattern

Write a rule to find the successive terms in the pattern.

63, 48, 35, 24, . . . . . .

 Problem-Solving Strategy: Look for
a Pattern

Write a rule to find the successive terms in the pattern.

63, 48, 35, 24, . . . . . .

The number decreased by 15, then 13, then 11, so the

next number should decrease by 9 and then by 7. The
number subtracted decreases by two each time.
 Problem-Solving Strategy: Look for
a Pattern

The pattern of numbers, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, . . . . ., is called the

Fibonacci sequence. The terms of the sequence are called the
Fibonacci numbers. List the first ten Fibonacci numbers.
 Problem-Solving Strategy: Look for
a Pattern

The pattern of numbers, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, . . . . ., is called the

Fibonacci sequence. The terms of the sequence are called the
Fibonacci numbers. List the first ten Fibonacci numbers.

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55

 Problem-Solving Strategy: Look for
a Pattern

Find a pattern for the following numbers.

1, 3, 5, 8, 11, 15, 19, . . . . . .

 Problem-Solving Strategy: Look for
a Pattern

Find a pattern for the following numbers.

1, 3, 5, 8, 11, 15, 19, . . . . . .

Pattern: +2, +2, +3, +3, +4, +4, +5, +5, . . .