Chapter 1

Expressions,
Equations,
and
Inequalities
Section 1
Patterns
and
Expressions
Chapter 1- Section 1
Goals and Objectives
We will:
Comprehend how to identify patterns.
Discover how to describe patterns.

Vocabulary List
mathematical quantity
constant
variable quantity
variable
numerical expression
algebraic expression
Bell Ringer
You are playing a video game.
You reach a locked gate.
The lock is a square with 9 sections.
You can make a key by placing a red or yellow block in each
section.






1
st
image 2
nd
image 3
rd
image

The key is the eighth image in the pattern.
Draw the key to the gate.
How do you know it will work?




Bell Ringer
Answers

The key is the eighth image in the pattern.
Draw the key to the gate.




How do you know it will work?
If we discover the pattern, then we must be true to it.



Patterns and Expressions
In the bell ringer, you identified and used geometric patterns.

In this section:
We will identify patterns in:
Pictures
Tables
Graphs

We will describe them using numbers and variables.
Application
Identifying a Pattern
Look at the figures below from left to right.




What is the pattern?
The first figure has three sides, the second, four, the third five




What would the next figure in the pattern look like?
The one after that will have seven sides and so on.
Patterns and Expressions
A mathematical quantity-
This is anything that can be measured or counted.

The value of the quantity-
This is its measure or the number of items that are counted.

A constant-
This is a value that does not change.
Examples:
3 121 1,000,986,765

Variable quantities-
These are quantities whose values change or vary.
Symbols, usually letters
x
y
Patterns and Expressions
A numerical expression
This is a mathematical phrase that contains numbers and
operation symbols.
Examples:
3 + 5
(8 - 2) + 5

An algebraic expression-
This is a mathematical phrase that contains one or more
variables.
Examples:
3n + 5
(8x - 2) - 5n
Patterns and Expressions
Tables are a convenient way to organize data and discover patterns.
Think of them as input/output machines
It takes in a value and produces another sometimes unique
value.

A process column in the table can be way to understand what
happened to the input.



Application
Expressing a Pattern with Algebra
Use a pattern to answer each question below.
Each line of the diagram is a separate toothpick.



How many toothpicks are in the 20
th
figure of the pattern.
Figure # Process # of toothpicks
1 1(4) 4
2 2(4) 8
3 3(4) 12
4 4(4) 16
5 5(4) 20
10 10(4) 40
15 15(4) 60
20 20(4) 80



Application
Expressing a Pattern with Algebra
Use a pattern to answer each question below.





What is an expression that describes the number of toothpicks
in the nth figure?

4(n) = x where x is the number of toothpicks.
Patterns and Expressions
We can use a graph to find patterns by making a table relating to the
desired information.
In the example we will look at, we are talking aquariums and
fish.
Application
Using a Graph
We want to set up an aquarium and need to determine what size tank
to buy.
The previous graph shows tank sizes using a rule that relates the
capacity of the tank to the combined lengths of the fish it can hold.

We want to stock the aquarium with five 2 platys, four 1 guppies,
and a 3 loach.

Which is the smallest capacity tank you can buy, 15, 20 or 25
gallons.
Application
Using a Graph
Solution
Chart of values established from the graph
x = length of fish y = gallons of water
0 2
1 3
2 4
3 5
4 6
5 7
6 8
7 9
17 19
Total length of the fish = 5(2) + 4(1) + 3 =
x = 10 + 4 + 3 = 17
Equation = 17 + 2 = 19
The smallest tank to accommodate the fish is a 20 gallon tank.
Got it?
Look at the figures below.





What is the pattern?
N + 4
Draw the next figure in the pattern.





















How many tiles are in the 25
th
figure in this pattern?
Input Process Output
1 1(2) 2
2 2(2) 4
3 3(2) 6
4 4(2) 8
5 5(2) 10
10 10(2) 20
15 15(2) 30
20 20(2) 40
25 25(2) 50
The graph below show the total cost of tetras at the aquarium shop.
The previous graph show the total cost of tetras at the aquarium shop.
Draw a table to answer the questions below.
Number of tetras Cost of tetras
0 0
1 2
2 4
3 6
4 8
5 10

Based on the information presented above, how much do six
tetras cost?
$12

How much do ten cost?
$20