Patterns in Mathematics – Practice Questions &
Answers
■ QUESTIONS
Basic Number Sequences
1. Write the next three terms for each sequence: (a) 1,1,1,... (b) 1,2,3,... (c) 1,3,5,... (d)
1,3,6,10,... (e) 1,4,9,16,... (f) 1,2,3,5,8,13,...
2. Explain why 36 can be both a square and a triangular number.
3. Find the 20th term of the triangular numbers sequence.
Visualising Patterns
4. Draw dots to represent the 5th triangular number, 4th square number, and 3rd cube number.
5. Why are they called triangular, square, and cube numbers?
6. Show that the sum of the first 6 odd numbers = 6^2.
Relations among Sequences
7. Prove that 1+3+5+...+(2n-1) = n^2.
8. What is the sum of the first 100 odd numbers?
9. Verify the 'adding up and down' pattern: 1, 1+2+1, 1+2+3+2+1, 1+2+3+4+3+2+1. What do you
notice?
10. Add pairs of consecutive triangular numbers: 1+3, 3+6, 6+10, 10+15. Which sequence do
you get?
11. Starting with powers of 2: compute 1, 1+2, 1+2+4, 1+2+4+8. Then add 1 to each result.
Which numbers do you see?
12. Multiply triangular numbers by 6 and add 1. What sequence do you get (first 5 terms)?
Patterns in Shapes
13. Draw first 4 regular polygons and write their number of sides. Which sequence do you get?
14. In stacked squares sequence, count little squares in 1st, 2nd, 3rd shapes. What sequence?
15. In complete graphs K2, K3, K4,... count edges. What sequence?
16. In Koch snowflake, line segments go 3, 12, 48,... Write nth term formula.
Creative / Higher-order
17. Find another number that is both square and triangular besides 36.
18. Create your own pattern or sequence. Write first 5 terms and rule.
19. In stacked triangles, write number of triangles in 4th and 5th stacks. Generalize formula.
20. Suppose sequence repeats {Circle, Square, Triangle}. What shape is at position 2025?
■ ANSWERS
Q1. 1. (a) 1,1,1 (b) 6,7,8 (c) 11,13,15 (d) 21,28,36 (e) 36,49,64 (f) 21,34,55
Q2. 2. 36 = 6^2 (square) and also T_8 = 8*9/2 = 36 (triangular).
Q3. 3. T_20 = 20*21/2 = 210.
Q4. 4. 5th triangular = 15 dots in triangle, 4th square = 16 dots in 4x4, 3rd cube = 27 dots in
cube.
Q5. 5. Named after geometric shapes formed by arranging dots.
Q6. 6. 1+3+5+7+9+11 = 36 = 6^2.
Q7. 7. By induction or geometric proof, 1+3+...+(2n-1) = n^2.
Q8. 8. 100^2 = 10,000.
Q9. 9. They equal perfect squares: 1,4,9,16...
Q10. 10. Sums: 4,9,16,25... which are squares.
Q11. 11. Partial sums: 1,3,7,15. Adding 1 gives 2,4,8,16 (powers of 2).
Q12. 12. T_n = n(n+1)/2. Compute 6*1+1=7, 6*3+1=19, 6*6+1=37, 6*10+1=61, 6*15+1=91
(hexagonal numbers).
Q13. 13. Triangle(3), Square(4), Pentagon(5), Hexagon(6) → counting sequence starting
from 3.
Q14. 14. 1, 4, 9 → square numbers.
Q15. 15. Edges in Kn = n(n-1)/2. So sequence: 1,3,6,10,... (triangular numbers).
Q16. 16. Formula: 3*4^(n-1).
Q17. 17. 1225 (35^2) is also triangular: T_49 = 49*50/2 = 1225.
Q18. 18. Example: Powers of 5: 1,5,25,125,625 (rule: multiply by 5).
Q19. 19. Triangular formula: T_n = n(n+1)/2. So T_4=10, T_5=15.
Q20. 20. Period=3. 2025 mod 3 = 0 ⇒ Triangle.
