Examples of what pupils should know and be able to do
Generate sequences from practical contexts, including:
- finding the first few terms of the sequence;
- describing the general (nth) term, and justifying the generalisation by referring to the context;
- when appropriate, comparing different ways of arriving at the generalisation.
Probing questions
What did you look for in your sequence to help you find the nth
term?
How does this link to ... ? (Use the context that generated the sequence.)
Probe further to get pupils to justify specific parts of the generalisation – e.g. explain why 'multiply by 4' is part of your nth term.
What if pupils find this a barrier?
Use and adapt further examples from FTM(S)
pp. 154-156 - Acrobat pdf document (52Kb) for pupils
to generate and explore terms of sequences.
Keep to linear sequences and get pupils to build up the pattern using equipment
or by drawing on paper.
Help pupils to see the link between a constant difference in the sequence
and the multiplier in the nth term.
- T5 Snapper 6 - Microsoft word document (24Kb)
- Year 9 Booster lesson 7: Sequences - Acrobat pdf document (64Kb)
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