Skip to the content
Peabody TeachFor teachers and grown-ups

Patterns from a rule: 4th grade math

Generate and analyse number and shape patterns from a rule. A free 4th grade lesson plan, a question set with answers and a printable sheet with its key. Copy it and make it yours.

Lesson plan

Goal

  • Students can do this: generate and analyse number and shape patterns from a rule.

Teach (10 min)

  • A rule says what to do to get the next number.
  • Look at the first two numbers to find the rule.
  • Work one example on the board while students say each step aloud, then do one together.

Practise (15 min)

  • Students work the printable sheet in pairs, then alone.
  • Or practise it as a game with no sign-up: https://peabody.kids/math/numsense.g4_rule?lesson=4-numsense-rule-1&at=4

Exit ticket (5 min)

  • Three questions on a slip:
  • 1. The rule is: add 8. The pattern starts at 16. What is the 5th number? 16, 24, 32, 40, ?
  • 2. The rule is: add 3. The pattern starts at 7. What is the 5th number? 7, 10, 13, 16, ?
  • 3. The rule is: add 7. The pattern starts at 6. What is the 5th number? 6, 13, 20, 27, ?

Question set

10 questions that read in words, easiest first. Questions that need a picture are on the printable sheet below.

  1. The rule is: add 8. The pattern starts at 16. What is the 5th number? 16, 24, 32, 40, ?
  2. The rule is: add 3. The pattern starts at 7. What is the 5th number? 7, 10, 13, 16, ?
  3. The rule is: add 7. The pattern starts at 6. What is the 5th number? 6, 13, 20, 27, ?
  4. The rule is: add 9. The pattern starts at 19. What is the 5th number? 19, 28, 37, 46, ?
  5. The rule is: add 4. The pattern starts at 23. What is the 5th number? 23, 27, 31, 35, ?
  6. The rule is: add 5. The pattern starts at 14. What is the 5th number? 14, 19, 24, 29, ?
  7. What is the rule for this pattern? 25, 31, 37, 43, 49
  8. The rule is: add 3. The pattern starts at 19. What is the 5th number? 19, 22, 25, 28, ?
  9. The rule is: subtract 3. The pattern starts at 21. What is the 5th number? 21, 18, 15, 12, ?
  10. The rule is: subtract 7. The pattern starts at 85. What is the 5th number? 85, 78, 71, 64, ?
Answers
  1. 48
  2. 19
  3. 34
  4. 55
  5. 39
  6. 34
  7. add 6
  8. 31
  9. 9
  10. 57

Printable sheet

Name: ____________________   Date: ____________

Patterns from a rule (4th grade)

  1. The rule is: add 3. The pattern starts at 12. What is the 5th number? 12, 15, 18, 21, ?
  2. The rule is: add 5. The pattern starts at 9. What is the 5th number? 9, 14, 19, 24, ?
  3. The rule is: add 7. The pattern starts at 1. What is the 5th number? 1, 8, 15, 22, ?
  4. The rule is: add 8. The pattern starts at 6. What is the 5th number? 6, 14, 22, 30, ?
  5. The rule is: add 5. The pattern starts at 29. What is the 5th number? 29, 34, 39, 44, ?
  6. The rule is: add 7. The pattern starts at 30. What is the 5th number? 30, 37, 44, 51, ?
  7. The rule is: add 5. The pattern starts at 7. What is the 5th number? 7, 12, 17, 22, ?
  8. What is the rule for this pattern? 17, 30, 43, 56, 69
  9. The rule is: add 25. The pattern starts at 22. What is the 5th number? 22, 47, 72, 97, ?
  10. What is the rule for this pattern? 54, 49, 44, 39, 34
  11. What is the rule for this pattern? 8, 16, 24, 32, 40
  12. The rule is: add 16. The pattern starts at 20. What is the 5th number? 20, 36, 52, 68, ?
Key
  1. 24
  2. 29
  3. 29
  4. 38
  5. 49
  6. 58
  7. 27
  8. add 13
  9. 122
  10. subtract 5
  11. add 8
  12. 84

Written by Peabody from its own skill pages. Free, no ads, no sign-in. Children can practise this on Peabody. More from teachers: teacher-shared resources.