01-NelsonMathGr6-Chap01 7/18/05 8:29 AM Page 4

CHAPTER 1

1
Goal

You will need

Writing Pattern Rules

Use rules to extend patterns and
write pattern rules.

In 100 h, the conditions should be good for Denise

to see Neptune with her telescope. She wonders
how many days that is on Earth and on Neptune.

Planet

a calculator

Length of 1 day
(in hours)

Earth

24

Neptune

16

many days is 100 h on Earth and

? How
on Neptune?

Denises Solution
I started to make a table, but I can
use patterns to answer the question.

Number
of days

Number of
hours on Earth

Number of
hours on Neptune

24

16

48

32

72

48

The pattern in the Number of hours

on Earth column is 24, 48, 72, .

The 1st term in the pattern is 1  24  24.

The 2nd term in the pattern is 2  24  48.
To calculate the number of hours on Earth in 4 days, I can
multiply 24 by the term number 4.
4  24  96
The 4th term in the number of hours on Earth pattern is
96. 4 days are 96 hours on Earth.

term number
A number that tells
the position of a
term in a pattern.
1, 3, 5, 7,

I can write a pattern rule using the term and term number:
Pattern rule: Each term is 24 multiplied by the term number.

1st term

2nd term

5 is the 3rd term

or term number 3

NEL

01-NelsonMathGr6-Chap01 7/18/05 8:29 AM Page 5

A. Write a rule like Denises for the number of hours on

Neptune pattern.
B. Calculate the fourth term in the number of hours on
Neptune pattern.
C. Estimate the number of terms you will need to be past
100 h for Earth.
D. Estimate the number of terms you will need to be past
100 h for Neptune.
E. About how many days is 100 h on Earth and on Neptune?

Reflecting
1. a) How can you use Denises rule to determine the
number of hours that would have passed on Earth
in 10 days?
b) How would you use your rule to determine the
number of hours that would have passed on
Neptune in 20 days?
2. In the past, you would have written a pattern rule
by describing how the pattern starts and how it can
be extended.
a) For the Earth hours pattern, describe how the
starting number and the number that describes
how you extend the pattern are related.
b) Is this true for the Neptune hours pattern? Explain.

Checking
3. It takes almost 10 h for 1 day on Jupiter.
a) Write the first few terms in the pattern for
the number of hours in Jupiter days.
b) Write a pattern rule like Denises for Jupiter.
Use the rule to determine the 15th term in
the Jupiter pattern.

NEL

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Practising
4. a) Complete this table for Mars.
b) Write a pattern rule that will tell you
the number of hours on Mars for any
number of days on Mars.
c) Use your pattern rule to determine the
approximate number of hours in seven
days on Mars.
5. One astronomical unit (1 AU) is the
average distance from the Sun to Earth.
1 AU is about 150 million kilometres.
It takes light 0.14 h to travel 1 AU.
a) Write a pattern rule for calculating a
term in the pattern for the time light
takes to travel any number of
astronomical units.
b) It is about 5 AU from the Sun to Jupiter.
About how many hours does it take light
to travel from the Sun to Jupiter?
c) It is 30 AU from the Sun to Neptune.
About how many hours does it take light
to travel from the Sun to Neptune?

Mars
Number
of days

Number
of hours

24.75

2
3

Number of
astronomical units

Time light takes

to travel (in hours)

0.14

0.28

0.42

0.56

6. Samantha is going to space camp next summer.

She is saving $14 each month to pay for it.
a) Write a pattern of numbers that shows how
much she saves in one to five months.
b) Write a pattern rule for determining
how much she saves
in any number of months.
c) Determine the amount of money
Samantha saves in eight months.
d) The space camp costs $125.
For how many months does
Samantha need to save?

NEL