WorksheetsAbout this worksheet
Each row is a number pattern with three numbers left out. The child finds the rule, such as "add 5 each time", and fills in the blanks. Skip counting is the ground on which times tables are built: counting by 5 is the 5 table.
What this skill is
A number sequence is a list of numbers that follows a rule. On these sheets the rule is always "add the same number" or "take away the same number" each time. Finding the rule is a first taste of algebra, and skip counting is the base of the times tables: counting by 4 from zero is the 4 table.
A worked example
Take 3, 7, 11, __, 19, __, __.
- Look at two neighbours: from 3 to 7 is 4, and from 7 to 11 is 4 again. The rule is "add 4".
- 11 + 4 = 15. Does it fit? 15 + 4 = 19, which is the next number given. Good.
- Go on: 19 + 4 = 23, and 23 + 4 = 27.
The blanks are 15, 23 and 27. A backward pattern works the same way: in 50, 44, 38 the numbers fall by 6, so the next is 32.
Tips for parents and teachers
- Ask the child to say the rule before writing: "It goes up by 2".
- To find the rule, look at two numbers that stand next to each other and find the difference.
- Backward patterns are harder than forward ones. Give them their own sheet rather than mixing too early.
How to use this sheet at home and in class
- At home: do the first row aloud together, then let the child finish alone. Skip counting on a walk, by twos up the stairs, costs no paper at all.
- In class: choose one pattern type for the whole sheet when the idea is new. Keep "Mixed, forwards and backwards" for revision.
- Ask the child to write the rule at the end of each row, such as "+5" or "−3". Marking then takes seconds, and the thinking is visible.
Mistakes to watch for
- Finding the rule from one pair only and not checking it against the next number that is given.
- Assuming every pattern goes up. Ask first: are the numbers growing or shrinking?
- Slips when a pattern crosses a ten or a hundred, such as 96, 101, 106. These are addition slips, not pattern trouble; a hundred chart beside the sheet helps.
What to try next
- Hundred chart worksheets: patterns you can colour.
- Times tables worksheets: skip counting written as tables.
- Missing numbers worksheets: another kind of finding out.