Shashika Boteju

Mathematics
Grade 9
What are patterns and
sequences ?
Patterns are repetitive sequences and can be found in
nature, shapes, events, sets of numbers and almost
everywhere you care to look. For example, seeds in a
sunflower, snowflakes, geometric designs on tiles, the
number sequence 0,4,8,12,16,...
• A sequence of numbers where the difference
between the consecutive numbers is constant.
Terms of the number patterns given above are separated by
commas. The three dots indicate that the number pattern
continues. This is how number patterns are usually written.

In the above examples of sequences, only a few initial terms

are given. However, it is incorrect to presume the pattern of
the sequence by considering only a few initial terms
“The value obtained by subtracting the previous
term from any term (except the first term) is a
constant (that is, a constant value).”

The constant (d) is called the Common

Difference.
common difference = any term except the first term – the previous term

t1 t2 t3 t4 t5

2 5 8 11 14

3 3 3 3
 Find the first term and the
common difference of each
arithmetic sequence.

1.) 4,9,14,19, 24
First term (a): 4
Common difference (d) = 9 – 4 = 5

2.) 34, 27, 20,13,6, 1, 8,....

First term (a): 34
Common difference (d): -7

Important: ALWAYS CHECK TO MAKE SURE THE

DIFFERENCE IS THE SAME BETWEEN EACH TERM !
Now you try!
Find the first term and the common difference of each of
these number sequences.
a) 1, -4, -9, -14, ….

b) 11, 23, 35, 47, ….

The general term of a number pattern

Notation to denote the terms of a sequence.

the first term by T1 ,
the second term by T2 ,
the third term by T3 , etc.

Consider the number pattern 3, 7, 11, 15, ….

T1 = 3
T2 = 7
T3 = 11
T4 = 15
nth term is denoted by Tn. This is called the general term of
the sequence.
Developing the number sequence when
the general term is given
• Examples
1.Tn = 60- 6n
i. Write the first three terms of this number pattern.
ii. Find the 5th term.
iii. Write the (n + 1)th term, in terms of n.
iv. Show that the terms which come after the 10th term are negative numbers

1.Tn = 3n + 1
i. Write the first three terms of this number pattern.
ii. Find the 8th term.
iii. Which term is equal to 37?
iv. Write the (n-1)th term, in terms of n.
Obtaining an expression for the general
term
Find the 10th and 25th term given the following information.
a) 1, 7, 13, 19 ….
n Tn How Tn can be written in terms of n and
the common difference 6
1 1 6× 1 - 5
2 7 6× 2 - 5
3 13 6× 3 - 5
4 19 6× 4 - 5

n
b) The first term is 3 and the common difference is -21
c) The first term is 5 and the common difference is 3
Solving mathematical problems involving
number patterns
Eg. Every day a radio station asks a question for a prize of
$150. If the 5th caller does not answer correctly, the prize
money increased by $150 each day until someone correctly
answers their questions.
Make a list of the prize amounts for a week (Mon - Fri) if the
contest starts on Monday and no one answers correctly all
week.
• Monday : $150
• Tuesday: $300
• Wednesday: $450
• Thursday: $600
• Friday: $750