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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Fishing Odd or Even Numbers Worksheets
Go fishing for odd and even numbers with your students using this set of three worksheets.
- Free Plan
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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Charts of Odd and Even Numbers Up to 500
Encourage your students to identify odd and even numbers with this set of number charts up to 500.
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Odd and Even Numbers Poster Set
Help students memorise the rules for identifying odd and even numbers.
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Odd and Even Maze Worksheets
Explore odd and even numbers with your students with these fun maze activities.
- Free Plan
I Spy Odd and Even Number Worksheet
Practise determining odd and even numbers of objects with this fun scavenger hunt worksheet.
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Skip Counting Worksheets (Fill in the Blanks)
Excerpt: Use this set of skip counting worksheets to check student understanding of skip counting in increasing intervals of 5, 10 and 100.
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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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One More, One Less Task Cards
A set of 24 task cards to enable students to practise identifying one more and one less than a number.
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Identifying Number Patterns and their Rules PowerPoint
A 15 page editable PowerPoint to use in the classroom when introducing number pattern rules.
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Skip Counting Robot Strips - 2s, 5s and 10s
A set of 12 skip counting robot strips to help students skip count by 2s, 5s and 10s.
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Input Output Game — ‘Under the Sea’ Board Game
Play this ‘Under the Sea’ input output game to engage your students as they learn about algebraic patterns.
- Free Plan
Blank Function Table Template
Grab this function table template set to create a wide variety of input/output activities that will have your students thinking algebraically.
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Odd and Even Properties Flipbook
Teach your students about the properties of odd and even numbers with this flipbook.
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Odd and Even Numbers Worksheet (Basic)
Introduce and explore odd and even numbers with this set of odd and even number worksheets.
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Complex Dot-to-dot – Square Numbers (Skateboarder) – Worksheet
A complex dot-to-dot where students order square numbers.
- Free Plan
Complex Dot-to-dot – Skip Counting by Twos (Car) – Worksheet
A complex dot-to-dot where students demonstrate skip counting by twos.
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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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Prime Numbers - Assorted Backgrounds
Prime numbers displayed on a hundreds board.
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Input Output Tables Worksheets
Provide these input output tables worksheets to your students to give them practice identifying and extending number patterns using all four operations.
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Function Machine Interactive Game
Share this function machine interactive game with your students, providing them a fun way to practise identifying and continuing number patterns.
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Odd and Even Cut-and-Paste Worksheet
Engage students in practising their knowledge of odd and even numbers with these simple cut-and-paste worksheets.
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Properties of Odd and Even Numbers Exit Tickets
Check for student understanding with these Odd and Even Properties exit tickets for the classroom.
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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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I Have Who Has: Skip Counting by 2,3,4,5,10
Teaching skip counting? Introduce your students to our I Have Who Has - style whole class games with this fun and interactive card activity!
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Naming Number Patterns Board Game
Play this number patterns board game which includes 36 question cards.
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Counting by 5's Maze
Get to the party by skip counting to 100 with our counting by 5’s worksheet.
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Identifying Even Numbers Worksheet
A fun activity to help your students to identify even numbers.
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Number Patterns - Worksheet
A place value worksheet to use when completing number patterns.
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Composite Numbers - Assorted Backgrounds
Composite numbers displayed on a hundreds board.
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Snail Trail Odd and Even Properties Worksheet
Help students identify the properties of odd and even numbers and using the ‘rules’ when calculating with this maze-style worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Odd and Even Properties Board Game
Help children practise identifying odd and even results of sums with this fun board game.
- Number Patterns Worksheets
- Number Patterns Games
- Number Patterns Posters
- Number Patterns Templates
- 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