Number Patterns Teaching Resources
Explore number patterns in your maths classes this school year with fun worksheets, games and more teacher resources created to help your students understand how numbers in a sequence relate to one another.
Aligned with the Australian Version 9.0 maths standards, the printable and digital activities in this collection were created by the maths teachers on the Teach Starter team to help you save time on your lesson plans.
Whether this is your first year teaching about number patterns or you're just looking for a little extra help, we've got you covered. Read on for a primer from our teacher team! We explain what number patterns are so you can share with your class, plus we explore three common patterns.
What Are Number Patterns? A Kid-Friendly Definition
A number pattern is a series of numbers that each follow the same rule. These patterns or sequences can help us find missing numbers or identify what number will come next in a series.
For example, let's say you are given the following list of numbers:
- 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24
This is an example of a number pattern in which the next number in the series is 4 more than the previous number. Once you can identify the pattern in a series of numbers like this one, you can then use that pattern to determine what number comes next or even what numbers could have come before the list began.
This is one of the many reasons number patterns are an important part of building our students' algebraic reasoning skills. They help kids understand how numbers can be related to one another and apply what they know about those relationships to solve problems.
3 Common Types of Number Patterns
We can't talk about number patterns without breaking down the different types your students are going to encounter in their maths journey!
Linear Patterns
Linear patterns are number patterns in which the numbers increase or decrease by the same amount each time.
The example used above — in which each number in the series increased by a quantity of 4 — is a simple example of a linear pattern.
Geometric Number Patterns
Another type of pattern students may have to contend with is the geometric number pattern. This type involves numbers that are multiplied or divided by a constant factor.
The multiplication table is an example of a geometric number pattern.
Recursive Patterns
Students will have to make full use of their understanding of the four whole number operations to work with recursive patterns. That's because this pattern involves finding each successive number in the sequence by performing a specific operation on the previous number(s).
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Hundreds Board – Blank
A blank black and white hundreds chart that can be used for a variety of activities.
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Roll to 100 Odd and Even Game
Create a fun maths station with this roll to 100 game where students show their knowledge of odd and even numbers up to 100.
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1–120 Number Charts With Missing Numbers
A set of 5 worksheets with missing numbers from 1–120.
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Numbers 1-20 Puzzle Pack
Identify and sequence the numbers from 1 to 20 with a set of Numbers 1-20 puzzles for kids.
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Skip Counting by 2,3,4,5, & 10 Mystery Picture
Have your students uncover a mystery picture by solving skip counting problems to and multiply by 2,3,4,5 & 10.
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10 More, 10 Less Differentiated Mazes
Delight your students with this maze challenge, to practise calculating 10 more or 10 less than a value within 120.
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Skip Counting by 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10 Posters and Worksheets
Practise and review skip counting by 2,3,4,5,and 10 with a pack of printable skip counting charts and worksheets.
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Complex Dot-to-dot – Skip Counting by Fives (Turtle) – Worksheet
A complex dot-to-dot where students demonstrate skip counting by fives.
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Odd and Even Properties Poster Set
Teach students about the different properties of odd and even numbers when adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing.
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Odd and Even Numbers PowerPoint
A 23 slide editable PowerPoint template to use when introducing odd and even numbers to younger students.
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Christmas Skip Counting - Printable Puzzles
Grab a set of 10 printable Christmas puzzles to help students skip count in the classroom.
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Differentiated Number Pattern Worksheets for Year 3
Use this differentiated year 3 maths worksheet to allow students to practise completing number patterns and determining their rules.
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Guided Maths Groups – National Numeracy Learning Progression – Task Cards
A set of 32 task cards with activities for tracking student progress along the numeracy learning progression.
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Patterns and Algebra Worksheets - Year 1
2 patterns and algebra worksheets linked to the Australian Curriculum.
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Odd and Even Properties Worksheet
Predict and confirm if the product of adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing sums is odd or even.
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Algebraic Expressions – Interactive Activity
Practise writing, reading and solving algebraic expressions with this set of interactive activities.
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Order of Operations Dice Game
A set of 6 order of operations dice activity mats.
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Prime and Composite Numbers Poster
A poster to help students learn the vocabulary associated with prime and composite numbers.
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Python Patterns – Match-Up Activity
An activity for students to consolidate copying and creating patterns.
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Prime Numbers - Assorted Backgrounds
Prime numbers displayed on a hundreds board.
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Composite Numbers - Assorted Backgrounds
Composite numbers displayed on a hundreds board.
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Numbers 1 to 100 - Odds, Evens and Counting in 5's
Numbers 1 to 100 displayed on a bright and colourful poster.
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Skip Counting Puzzles
Practise skip counting and identifying multiples of numbers with printable skip counting puzzles for kids.
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Year 4 Odd and Even Properties Task Cards
Assess students understanding of the properites of odd and even numbers with these task cards.
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Odd and Even Properties Teaching Slides
Teach your students about the properties of odd and even numbers with this interactive teaching PowerPoint.
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Odd and Even Numbers Four in a Row Game
Play four in a row and practise knowledge of odd and even numbers.
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Roll and Colour Worksheet for Ten More, Ten Less
Use this interactive worksheet to help students practise finding the number that is 10 more and 10 less than a given number.
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Algebraic Expressions – Task Cards
Read, write and solve algebraic expressions with this set of 24 task cards.
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Guided Maths Groups – National Numeracy Learning Progression – Student Tracker
An individual student tracker for sub-elements of the National Numeracy Learning Progression.
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1–120 Number Board
A black and white chart with numbers 1–120 that can be used for a variety of activities.
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Dot-to-Dot Drawing - Numbers by 2 - Alien
Join the dots and numbers to make a picture.
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Number Sequencing to 1 000 - Worksheet
A place value worksheet to use when sequencing numbers to 1 000.
- Number Patterns Worksheets
- Number Patterns Games
- Number Patterns Posters
- Number Patterns for Preschool/Kindergarten
- Number Patterns for Foundation Year
- Number Patterns for Year 1
- Number Patterns for Year 2
- Number Patterns for Year 3
- Number Patterns for Year 4
- Number Patterns for Year 5
- Number Patterns for Year 6
- Number Patterns for Year 7