Fun, Fun Function Tables

Fourth Grade Math

Put the FUN! in function tables with this engaging, interactive lesson that will have your students generating
their own patterns and tables.

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to generate arithmetic patterns within the context of a function table and determine rules
based on the patterns therein.

Materials and preparation Key terms

Class set of the Funky Function Tables function table

worksheet
12 books (or similar item to stack, like blocks)
One piece of white paper per student (8.5 x 11
or larger)
One sticky note per student

Attachments

Funky Function Tables (PDF)

Introduction (8 minutes)

Place a stack of books at the front of the room (about 12 books). Count the books aloud for student
reference.
Draw a t-chart on the board and label the left column ‘stacked books.’ Write 12 in the column to denote
the total number of books.
Invite a student to come to the front of the room and tell them to take one book from the pile. Then ask
the class, "How many books are there left in the pile?" The answer is 11.
Label the right column of the t-chart ‘what’s left.’ Point out that after the student came up and took a
book, there were only 11 books left in the pile (write 11 in the right column).
Invite a second student to come to the front of the room. Point out that there are now only 11 books
stacked (write 11 in the left column), then tell them to take one book. Ask the class, "How many books
are left now?" The answer is 10. Add to the t-chart.
Repeat until there are four students holding one book each and only eight books left in the pile.
Ask, "How many books would there be if we had five students who each took a book? How about 10
students?" Ask students to explain how they know (i.e. if every student who came up took one book, we
can subtract one from the remaining books each time a new student comes up).
Explain to the class that this is an example of a pattern. Then, define the pattern’s rule. (i.e. in this
pattern, we subtracted one each time a new student came up. We call that the rule.) Write ‘minus one’ or
‘subtract one’ on the board.
Tell students that today we are going to create number patterns and rules for the patterns.

Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling (12 minutes)

Draw a picture of a car on the board and ask students how many tires a car has. Then, write ‘4’ on the
car.

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 Provide context for the car problem (i.e. Darla owns a tire shop and she is trying to figure out how many
tires she will sell if each customer buys a full set).
Draw three more cars and write ‘4’ on each. Then explain to students that for each car that comes to
Darla’s shop, she will sell four tires.
Create a t-chart with the headings ‘cars’ and ‘tires.’ Complete the first two rows of the t-chart (1,4 and
2,8). Then have students help complete the next two rows (3,12 and 4,16).
Explain that a t-chart that shows a pattern is called a function table. Function tables show patterns that
follow a rule.
Point out the pattern and rule in the ‘cars’ function table. (i.e. This pattern follows the rule ‘times four’
because for each car there are four tires. So, when Darla replaces the tires on five cars, she will sell 20
tires altogether because 5 x 4 is 20.) Add (5,20) to the table. Then, write ‘times four’ on the board.
Write 10 in the ‘cars’ column and ask, :How many tires would Darla sell if there were 10 cars?" The
answer is 40. Write the answer in the ‘tires’ column.

Guided Practice (10 minutes)

Draw a function table with a simple pattern (i.e. [1,4] [2,5] [3,6] [4, 7] [5,8]).
Ask students to come up with a rule for the table. Have students discuss with an elbow partner and then
come up with a rule as a class (add three).
Hand out the Funky Function Tables worksheet. Go over the example problem with students.
Guide students through the first exercise on the worksheet. Then have students complete the remainder
of the worksheet with a partner or small group.
Circulate and check in with groups to offer support and guidance as needed.

Independent working time (15 minutes)

With your students, brainstorm several scenarios in which a pattern might occur (i.e. scoops of ice cream
in a sundae, a spider’s legs, ounces left in a water bottle over a period of time). Write the generated
scenarios on the board for student reference.
Hand out piece of white paper to each student and have students come up with their own pattern using
the scenario of their choice. Then, instruct them to make a function table showing their pattern with at
least six rows.
Hand out one sticky note per student and instruct them to write their pattern on the sticky note (students
should not write their pattern on the paper with their function table).
Circulate and offer support as needed. Check for and help correct mistakes in student work.

Related books and/or media

SUPPORT:

First Function Tables worksheet

ENRICHMENT:

Function Tables & Word Problems worksheet

Differentiation

Support:

Provide partially completed function tables for students to complete.

Provide a specific rule for students before asking them to create a function table (i.e. add two or times
five).
Provide scaffolded practice problems, like the First Function Tables worksheet, in place of the guided
practice worksheet.

Enrichment:

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 Show students more complex, two-step patterns (i.e. times two, plus one) and encourage students to
come up with a complex pattern of their own.
Have students apply the skills learned to solve word problems (see the Function Tables & Word Problems
worksheet).

Assessment (10 minutes)

Instruct students to leave the function tables they created displayed on their desk.
Collect students’ sticky notes. Mix them up and randomly hand out the sticky notes with pattern rules,
ensuring that students do not get their own sticky note.
Instruct students to walk around the classroom and find the function table that matches the rule they
have on the sticky note they were given. They should then stick their note to the function table. (Note:
some students may generate the same rule. For the purpose of this activity, each rule should be matched
with a coordinating function table, but does not need to originate back to same author).
Observe student responses for understanding.

Review and closing (5 minutes)

Ask and discuss: How might a function table be useful in the real world? How can a function table help us
continue a pattern? What was the easiest way to figure out a rule when looking at a given pattern?

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Name:________________________ Date:_______________

Funky Function Tables
Directions: Find the rule for each function table below.

Example A function table is sometimes called

an input-output table. It shows a pattern
input output that follows a rule. In this example, the
1 x2 =2 input is being multiplied by 2 to get the
output. So, the rule is times 2.
2 x2 =4
In this table, the rule is given to you. But
3 x2 =6 in the problems below, you will have to
figure out the rule by looking at the
4 x2 =8
pattern in each table.

1. Find the rule. 2. Find the rule.

input  output  input  output 

1  6  3  0 

2  7  4  1 

3  8  5  2 

4  9  6  3 

What is the rule? What is the rule?

a) x 6 b) + 6 c) + 5 a) x 0 b) - 3 c) + 3

3. Complete the table. Then find the rule. 4. Complete the table. Then find the rule.

Chocolate   Number of 
Cookies  Minutes to 
Chips  Math 
Solve 
Problems 
1  10 
5 
2 
2 
30 
3  15 
4  40 
20 
5 
5 
What is the rule? __________ What is the rule? __________
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