3.

NUMBER PATTERNS
* Linear
* Recursive
* Quadratic

Determining Number Patterns
1
Linear Number Patterns
T
n
= a + (n 1)d

T
n
= value of the n
th
term
a = first term
n = number of terms
d = constant first difference
Complete the pattern
Constant first differences
Graph of an Arithmetic
Sequence
2
Example:
Determine the 30
th
term of a linear number
pattern, if the first term is 1 and the second
term is 5.

1 , 5 , . T
n


i.e. a = 1; n = 30 and d = 5 1 = 4

T
n
= a + (n 1)d
T
n
= 1 + (30 1)(4)
= 117
3
Example:
How many terms are there if the first term of a
linear number pattern is 64, the last term is -21 and
the first common difference is -5.


64 , . -21

i.e. a = 64; T
n
= -21 and d = -5

T
n
= a + (n 1)d
- 21 = 64 + (n-1)(-5)
- 85 = -5n + 5
- 80 = - 5n
n = 16
Challenge! Solving Arithmetic Sequences
4
1 ; 1 ; 2 ; 3; 5 ;

?

What is the next term in this series?
8
What is the name of this famous series?
Fibonacci Sequence
Recursive Number Patterns
5
Recursion formula
T
n

+ 1
= T
n
+ T
n

1


1 ; 1 ; 2 ; 3 ; 5 ; 8 ;


In other words, given a starting
value, add the 2 preceding values to
obtain the subsequent term.

T
2
+ T
3
gives T
4
Graphical Representation of Recursion Formula
Recursive vs Explicit Formulae
6

Example:
Determine the number of tins used to form
this pattern:


1 3 6 10
1 1 + 2 3 + 3 6 + 4
a a

+2 a + 3 a + 4
7
Lets look at the number pattern
Position
1
st
2
nd
3
rd

4
th

n
th

1
1 3 6 10
a
n-1
+n
2 5 3 4
.
1
1 1
n .
Second difference = ?
1
ST
Difference
A CONSTANT
.
Quadratic Number Patterns
8

Graph of a Quadratic Sequence

9
Substituting
1 = a(1)
2
+ b(1) + c ie a + b + c = 1

3 = a(2)
2
+ b(2) + c ie 4a + 2b + c = 3

6 = a(3)
2
+ b(3) + c ie 9a + 3b + c = 6
Triangular Number Sequence

Example:
Find the general term for the triangular
number pattern:


10
a + b + c = 1 (i)
4a + 2b + c = 3 (ii)
9a + 3b + c = 6 (iii)

Subtract (ii) (i) 3a + b = 2 (iv)
Subtract (iii) (ii) 5a + b = 3 (v)
Subtracting (v)-(iv) 2a = 1
Substituting into ( iv) b =
1
/
2
c = 0

Equation: T
n
=
1
/
2
n
2
+
1
/
2
n
11
Remember to check your general
term
T
n
=
1
/
2

n
2
+
1
/
2
n

T
1
=
1
/
2
(1)
2
+
1
/
2
(1) = 1
T
2
=
1
/
2
(2)
2
+
1
/
2
(2) = 3
T
3
=
1
/
2
(3)
2
+
1
/
2
(3) = 6
12
A short-cut to solving quadratic
number patterns

13

2
T
2
T
1
14

1
T
1
15

16

Example:
Determine the 50
th
term, given the
following number pattern: 2; 4; 8; 14;


17
2; 4; 8; 14;
2 4 6 - 1
st
difference
2 2 - 2
nd
common difference

a + b + c = T
1
(1) + (-1) + c = 2


c = 2

T
n
= 1n
2
- 1n + 2


T
50
= 1(50)
2
1(50) + 2
T
50
= 2452


18

Example:
Annie started collecting newspapers to
recycle - 5 newspapers on her 1
st
day, 9 on
her 2
nd
day, 17 on her 3
rd
day and 29 on her
4
th
day. How many did she collect on the
30
th
day?
19
5; 9; 17; 29;
4 8 12 - 1
st
difference
4 4 - 2
nd
common difference

3a + b = T
2
T
1
3(2) + b = 4

b = -2

a + b + c = T
1
(2) + (-2) + c = 5


c = 5

20
T
n
= 2n
2
- 2n + 5


T
30
= 2(30)
2
2(30) + 5
T
30
= 1745

Therefore, Annie collected 1745
newspapers on her 30
th
day.



Real-life Quadratic Number Pattern Problem
21