Mathematics / Year 6 / Number and Algebra / Patterns and algebra

Curriculum content descriptions

Continue and create sequences involving whole numbers, fractions and decimals. Describe the rule used to create the sequence (ACMNA133)

Elaborations
  • identifying and generalising number patterns
  • investigating additive and multiplicative patterns such as the number of tiles in a geometric pattern, or the number of dots or other shapes in successive repeats of a strip or border pattern looking for patterns in the way the numbers increase/decrease
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Numeracy Numeracy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
ScOT terms

Sequences (Number patterns),  Mathematical expressions

Interactive

Circus towers: square stacks

Work out how many acrobats are needed to form square-shaped human towers. Start by building a square tower with four acrobats: two acrobats in the base layer and two acrobats standing on their shoulders. Examine a table and graph of the total number of acrobats in the towers. Predict the number of acrobats needed to build ...

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Spiral away with Fibonacci

Do you know the Fibonacci sequence? Learn how to draw a cool spiral as Vi Hart shows you an easy way. See how a spiral is an example of Fibonacci numbers. Vi shows examples of spirals from nature. You might be surprised at some of her examples! This is the first in a series.

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Catalyst: Take the Phi Golden challenge

The golden ratio, Phi: fact or fallacy? What about the Fibonacci sequence? We are told this ratio and its cousin Fibonacci occur everywhere in nature. Let's see which of these claims stacks up when put to the test.

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MathXplosion, Ep 25: Mobius strip twist

Can you make a set of linking rings from one strip of paper? You could if you made a small change to a mobius strip! A mobius strip is a piece of paper with one surface and a half-twist. Take a regular mobius strip and divide it into thirds. As you cut the twisty strip lengthwise into three pieces, something magic happens: ...

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Patterns, primes and Pascal's Triangle

Are you intrigued by patterns? Check out Vi Hart as she explains how to visualise patterns in prime numbers, using Ulam's Spiral. Watch as Vi creates patterns, using Pascal's Triangle to explore relationships in number. See what happens when she circles the odd numbers. What rule does she use to create the final pattern?

Online

Use rules and algorithms: Year 6 – planning tool

This planning resource for Year 6 is for the topic of Use rules and algorithms. Students generate and investigate patterns using concrete materials, geometric shapes, calculators and spreadsheets. Some examples are growing patterns using dots, cubes or sticks; systematically exploring dividing by 9 or multiplying by 11 ...

Online

Creating my own spreadsheet to convert binary to decimal

A spreadsheet can be used to do calculations quickly using formulas. How can we make a spreadsheet that converts a binary number to a decimal number? This lesson provides some guidance and Excel files for student and teacher use.

Interactive

Sites2See: Patterns and Algebra

Selected links to a range of interactive online resources for the study of patterns and algebra in Foundation to Year 6 Mathematics.

Online

When I post something online how permanent is it?

Students engage in a photo rip up activity to emphasize the permanency of online information, they explore factor trees, doubling and line graphs through the lens of sharing information, and they collaboratively develop a set of protocols around sharing information online.

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BTN: Yes, fashion designers need maths skills!

Are you interested in becoming a fashion designer? Or an architect? Or a pilot? Did you know that you need maths skills to succeed in all of these careers? Watch this video to learn how fashion designer Cristina uses maths in her work. How does architect Thomas use it? And why is maths important to pilot Paul? Can you think ...

Interactive

The difference bar: go figure

This tutorial is suitable for use with a screen reader. It explains how to split up numbers in your head when finding the difference between two numbers such as 26 and 73. Work through sample questions and instructions explaining how to use linear partitioning techniques. Find the difference between pairs of numbers. Split ...

Interactive

Playground percentages

Help a town planner to design two site plans for a school. Assign regions on a 10x10 grid for different uses such as a playground, canteen, car park or lawn. Calculate the percentage of the total site used for each region. Use a number line to display fractions and equivalent fractions.

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Numbers Count: What are factors?

What are factors? Watch as the jelly babies in this clip show you! What are the factors of 12? How many factors does the number 11 have? Try explaining to a friend what a prime number is.

Online

Home energy use

Reducing carbon dioxide emissions and sustainable energy use and are two of the major issues facing the world today. This project explores energy use in homes, and compares individual energy use with the class average and calculate and graph CO2 emissions.

Interactive

Number patterns

This is a five-page HTML resource about solving problems with number patterns. It contains two videos and six questions, one of which is interactive. The resource discusses and explains solving problems with number patterns to reinforce students' understanding.

Interactive

The divider: with or without remainders

Solve divisions such as 147/7 or 157/6 (some have remainders). Use a partitioning tool to help solve randomly generated divisions. Learn strategies to do complex arithmetic in your head. Split a division into parts that are easy to work with, use times tables, then solve the original calculation.

Interactive

Fish market: explore trading

Buy and sell fish in trading markets in a range of Australian and New Zealand cities. Compare market prices, supply and demand. Explore a range of traders to find the best deals and open up new markets. Find a rare fish. Maximise your profit and reputation as a smart trader. This learning object is the first in a series ...

Interactive

What's the problem: nature: level 2

Star as a contestant in a quiz show! Select three worded mathematical problems, about nature, from two categories: 'plants' or 'animals'. Identify the correct answer for each step in the problem-solving process. Examine the suggestions made by the panel to help you. Collect a prize based on your score.

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What are pixels?

Meet Kevin Systrom and Piper Hanson as they explain how digital images work. What are pixels, those tiny dots of light, made from? How are colours created and represented? What does Kevin say about the way mathematical functions are used to create different image filters. What is the difference between image resolution ...

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MathXplosion, Ep 6: Zero the hero

What is the role of zero as a placeholder for large numbers such as 1 million, 1 billion and 1 trillion? Find out about the notion of place value and powers of ten through the act of bead counting.