Name: ____________________________ Date: _______________

Gr. 4 Patterns Unit

Lesson 3: Applying Pattern Rules
Learning Goal
I can follow a pattern rule to show how a pattern continues, and I can make predictions based
on that rule.

Key Terms
❖ pattern rule: a description that tells how the pattern starts and how it continues; for
example, a pattern rule for 2, 4, 8, 16, … is “start at 2 and multiply by 2 to get the next term”

❖ table of values: a table for displaying sets of numbers so that relationships between
numbers can be seen

❖ term: each number or shape in a pattern

Lesson Summary
What Is a Pattern Rule?
❖ A pattern rule tells you how a pattern starts and how it continues. Different pattern rules can
involve different operations or no operations at all.

Examples of Pattern Rules

• Start with 4 squares and increase by 2 squares each term

• Start at 10 and double each term to get the next term

10, 20, 40, 80, 160, …

• Start at 3, increase by 1, and then increase by 1 more each term

3, 4, 6, 9, 13, 18, …

• Start at 5, increase by 5 until 15, and repeat the core of 5, 10, 15

5, 10, 15, 5, 10, 15, 5, 10, 15, ...

❖ When you know a pattern rule, you can follow it to figure out terms in the pattern.

e.g., Rule: Start at 3 and increase by 4 each term.

3, 7, 11, 15, 19, 23, …

© 2021 Rubicon Publishing Inc. Grade 4  Patterns

Lesson 3: Applying Pattern Rules
1
How Can You Represent a Pattern?
❖ One of the ways to show a pattern is to use a table of values. The first column tells the
position in the pattern, and the second number tells the value.

e.g., For example, this table shows the terms in the pattern “Start at 35 and increase
by 5 each term”.

Patterns Can Describe Everyday Situations

❖ Patterns often describe everyday situations:

• The pattern 7, 14, 21, 28, … can describe how many days have passed after 1 week, 2
weeks, 3 weeks, and so on.

• The pattern 450, 500, 550, 600, … can describe how much money is in a bank account
that starts at $450 if someone adds $50 a month.

How Do Rules Affect Patterns?

❖ Pattern rules affect how quickly a pattern grows.

e.g., The pattern that starts at 8 and increases by 3 for each new term grows more quickly
than the pattern that starts at 8 and increases by 2 for each new term.

• 8, 11, 14, 17, …

• 8, 10, 12, 14, …

❖ Most multiplication patterns grow more quickly than addition patterns.

e.g., The pattern on the left gets to 1000 much more quickly than the pattern on the
right.

2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, … 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, …
(Start at 2 and multiply the term by 2 to get (Start at 2 and increase by 2 each term)
the next term)

© 2021 Rubicon Publishing Inc. Grade 4  Patterns

2 Lesson 3: Applying Pattern Rules
Action Task
For two weeks, Krissy and Alexis collect bread tags. Krissy starts with 1 bread tag on the first
day and doubles the number of bread tags she has each day. Alexis starts with 10 bread tags
on the first day and collects 12 more tags each day.

1.
a) Who do you think will have more bread tags at the end of two weeks, Krissy or Alexis?
Justify your prediction.

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b) Once you have predicted who will have more bread tags, fill in the table of values to
show how many bread tags each girl will have each day for the two-week period.

Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Krissy

Alexis

c) In that two-week period, which girl collects more tags?

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d) Why do you think that happens?

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© 2021 Rubicon Publishing Inc. Grade 4  Patterns

3 Lesson 3: Applying Pattern Rules
Consolidate
2. How did the numbers in your tables show patterns?

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3. How are the rules for Krissy’s and Alexis’s patterns alike? How are the rules different? How
do you think that affected who ended up with more bread tags?

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4. Was it easy to predict what would happen with the two girls’ pattern rules? Explain.

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5. Write a new pattern rule for Krissy’s pattern that makes it easier to predict which girl collects
more bread tags.

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© 2021 Rubicon Publishing Inc. Grade 4  Patterns

4 Lesson 3: Applying Pattern Rules
Your Turn
6. A pattern rule is “start at 8 and increase by 10 each term.” What will the 15th term be? Show
your work. Bubble the letter of the correct answer.

(A) 33

(B) 122

(C) 148

(D) 158

7. A club has 4 members and 5 more join each day. Use the table of values below to show the
number of members each day for the first 6 days.

Term position 1 2 3 4 5 6

Term value

8. Use a table of values to show the first 6 terms in the following pattern: Start with 190 and
increase by 2 each term.

Term position 1 2 3 4 5 6

Term value

9. Use a table of values to show the first 6 terms in the following pattern: Start with 8 and
increase by 1, then increase by 2, then increase by 3, and so on, increasing 1 more each
term.

Term position 1 2 3 4 5 6

Term value

© 2021 Rubicon Publishing Inc. Grade 4  Patterns

5 Lesson 3: Applying Pattern Rules
10. Akim’s growing pattern started at 10. Each term is 6 more than the term before. When will
Akim reach an odd number in his pattern? Explain.

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11. Casey buys 3 posters every week. So far, he has collected 30 posters. Show how you can
use patterns (e.g., a table of values) to help you figure out in how many more weeks he will
have at least 100 posters.

© 2021 Rubicon Publishing Inc. Grade 4  Patterns

6 Lesson 3: Applying Pattern Rules
© 2021 Rubicon Publishing Inc. Grade 4  Patterns
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© 2021 Rubicon Publishing Inc. Grade 4  Patterns
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© 2021 Rubicon Publishing Inc. Grade 4  Patterns
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