Step 4 Objective

Recognise and extend number sequences, such as the sequence of square numbers, or the sequence of triangular numbers.

Examples of what pupils should know and be able to do

Describe sequences such as:
1, 3, 6, 10, ...

Find the missing numbers in these sequences:
10, 25, _, _, 70, _, ...
1, 4, _, _, 25, 36, _, ...
_, _, –61, -42, –23, _, ...

Probing questions

How do you go about finding the rule for a sequence of numbers?
Where do you start? What do you look for? How many terms do you check before you are convinced you know the rule?

What if pupils find this a barrier?

Pupils may need to go back to Step 3, which links counting on and back to forming linear sequences.
Emphasise the difference between these linear sequences and other predictable sequences such as square and triangular numbers.

Get pupils to classify a set of given sequences in different ways.

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