New
New
Year 8

Formalising a sequence

I can appreciate that a sequence is a succession of terms usually formed according to a rule.

New
New
Year 8

Formalising a sequence

I can appreciate that a sequence is a succession of terms usually formed according to a rule.

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A pattern of objects can be made by following a rule.
  2. These rules can be described in words.
  3. The number of objects each time is the term.
  4. Missing terms in the sequence can be found using the rule.

Keywords

  • Term - Each value or pattern in a sequence is called a term.

Common misconception

Pupils can mix up describing how patterns grow or the relationships between objects in the pattern.

Pupils should verbalise their description, using the keyword 'term' , making it clear which way they are describing their pattern.


To help you plan your year 8 maths lesson on: Formalising a sequence, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Pupils could draw the patterns on square paper to predict how they might develop. This is a chance to explore the different structures of sequences.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Loading...

Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Here are the first and second pattern in a pictorial sequence. Which is the third pattern if the sequence had a constant additive relationship?
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q2.
Which word best completes this description of a sequence: 'A sequence is a succession of diagrams, objects or __________, usually formed according to a rule.'
calculations
coordinates
integers
operations
Correct answer: values
Q3.
What would be the next value in this sequence if it has a constant additive rule? 18, 6, ...
Correct Answer: -6
Q4.
What would be the next value in this sequence if it has a constant multiplicative rule? 18, 6, ...
Correct Answer: 2
Q5.
Calculate the perimeter of this rectangle
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 14 mm, 14
Q6.
Calculate the perimeter of this L shape
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 16 cm, 16

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
What do we call each value or pattern in a sequence?
a constant
an element
an expression
an object
Correct answer: a term
Q2.
Here is the beginning of a pictorial sequence with a constant additive rule. Which picture is term 5?
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q3.
Here is a sequence of connected 'N' shape patterns made out of dots. How many dots would there be in term 4 of this pattern?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 28
Q4.
Here is a sequence of connected 'N' shape patterns made out of dots. Which of these could be a rule for the number of dots in each term?
An image in a quiz
The number of dots increase by 4 each time.
Correct answer: The number of dots increases by 6 each time.
There are 6 dots per N shape.
Correct answer: There are 6 dots per N shape add 4.
There are 10 dots per N shape.
Q5.
Here is a sequence of connected 'N' shape patterns made out of dots. How many dots would be needed for the 10th term?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 64
Q6.
For this pictorial sequence, match up the rule with the element of the pattern it is describing.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer:increase by 1 each time,vertical lines

vertical lines

Correct Answer:increase by 2 each time,height of the pattern in squares.

height of the pattern in squares.

Correct Answer:increase by 4 each time,diagonal lines

diagonal lines

Correct Answer:increase by 5 each time,total lines

total lines