AIS Conference 2008

Patterns and Algebra in Stages 3 and 4

Judy Anderson The University of Sydney j.anderson@edfac.usyd.edu.au

Patterns and Algebra in K10

Expressing generality (x + y = y + x)

Using and interpreting functions ( y = 3x ) Solving equations ( 3x 1 = 5)

AIS Conference 2008

How can we begin?

Some magic

A story
An everyday situation

A puzzle
An investigation

AIS Conference 2008

The Magic of Numbers

Think of a number between 1 and 64 Write down everything you can about your number Share this with a friend can you think of any other interesting things about these two numbers? Finding your number

AIS Conference 2008

A long time ago

A mathematician invented the game of chess and presented it to the king. The king was so pleased with the game that he asked the mathematician to name a reward. The mathematician looked at the chessboard, consisting of 64 squares, and asked for some rice according to the rule: One grain of rice on the first square, 2 grains of rice on the second square, 4 grains on the third square, 8 on the fourth and so on until the last square.

The king thought that the mathematician was a bit simple, so he readily agreed and sent for the rice from the royal warehouse. How much rice did the king need?

AIS Conference 2008

Everyday number patterns

I noticed the other morning when hanging some clothes on the line that I hang each item separately with two pegs per item. How many pegs would I need to hang 1 item, 2 items, 5 items, 30 items, and so on? How would you describe this pattern in words?

AIS Conference 2008

The clothesline A peggy problem!

When I was a kid in the country, I used two pegs for the first towel, and then one new peg for each additional towel.
How many pegs are required for 1 item, 2 items, 5 items, 30 items, and so on?

Mum used to overlap the towels but she would put an extra peg in the middle of each towel. What does the pattern look like now?

AIS Conference 2008

Think of a number

Add 2 Multiply by 4 Subtract 4 Divide by 4 Subtract the number your started with What is the answer?

Use Algebra to show how this works?

AIS Conference 2008 8

Another think of a number

Think of a number between 2 and 10

Multiply it by nine Add the two digits of your answer Subtract five Choose a letter of the alphabet

corresponding to the number

AIS Conference 2008

Calendar Patterns
June 2008
Sun 1 8 15 22 29 Mon 2 9 16 23 30 Tues 3 10 17 24 31 Wed 4 11 18 25 Thurs 5 12 19 26 Fri 6 13 20 27 Sat 7 14 21 28

AIS Conference 2008

10

Calendar Patterns
June 2008
Sun 1 8 15 22 29 Mon 2 9 16 23 30 Tues 3 10 17 24 31 Wed 4 11 18 25 Thurs 5 12 19 26 Fri 6 13 20 27 Sat 7 14 21 28

AIS Conference 2008

11

Calendar Patterns
June 2008
Sun 1 8 15 22 29 Mon 2 9 16 23 30 Tues 3 10 17 24 31 Wed 4 11 18 25 Thurs 5 12 19 26 Fri 6 13 20 27 Sat 7 14 21 28

AIS Conference 2008

12

Algebraic thinking
Patterns and Algebra

Generating and investigating patterns Observing, predicting and proving Describing relationships Making generalisations and proving results Using and applying algebraic symbolism to solve problems

Working Mathematically

Questioning Applying Strategies

Communicating
Reasoning Reflecting

AIS Conference 2008

13

The developmental sequence

Early Stage 1 Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

AIS Conference 2008

14

Building foundations for Algebra in K 6 Mathematics

Number Patterns pattern work leads to expressing

generality eg continue the pattern 3, 6, 9, 12, . 1, 4, 9, 16, ..

Number Relationships building understandings of number and operations is also very important

AIS Conference 2008

15

Building foundations includes:

Understanding the properties of numbers and operations Using all numbers, not just whole numbers

Seeing the operations, not just the answers

125 5 = 4 + 1 = +2
16

x 5 = 125

AIS Conference 2008

Whats my rule?

AIS Conference 2008

17

Activity
Generate three different number patterns that include the number 12. Try to use different kinds of numbers and different operations. Look at one of your neighbours patterns and find the next three numbers in the pattern.

AIS Conference 2008

18

Questions to pose:

What number comes next? How do you know? What number will be 10th? How do you know? Can you predict the 20th number?

How could you check if you are correct?

Does the number x belong to this pattern?
AIS Conference 2008 19

Consider investigating other patterns

16 - 9=
26 - 9 = 36 - 9 = continue, predict other cases and explain
The aim of pattern work is to:

develop facility and flexibility with numbers build intuitive understanding of properties.

AIS Conference 2008

20

Stage 3

Build simple geometric patterns involving multiples Complete a table of values for geometric and number patterns

Number of Triangles Number of Sides

1 3

2 6

6 -

7 -

9 12 15

AIS Conference 2008

21

Describe a pattern in words in more than one way

Number of Triangles Number of Sides

1 3

2 6

6 -

7 -

9 12 15

(determining a rule to describe the pattern from the table)

It looks like the 3 times tables.

You multiply the top number by three to get the bottom number.

AIS Conference 2008

22

Construct, verify and complete number sentences involving the four operations with a variety of numbers

completing number sentences:

5 +

= 12 4

7 = 7.7

constructing number sentences to match a word problem checking solutions and describing strategies

AIS Conference 2008

23

Learning about using inverse operations

I think of a number, multiply it by 3, take away 9 and then divide by 5. The answer is 3. What was the number I thought of?

( ( 3 - 9) 5 ) = 3 Answer: 8
AIS Conference 2008 24

Example of backtracking
I think of a number, multiply it by 3, take away 9 and then divide by 5. The answer is 3. What was the number I thought of?

-9

5 3

AIS Conference 2008

25

Stage 4 - Introducing Pronumerals

K is the number of letters in your name - so always stands for a number K takes multiple values (unknown or variable)

AIS Conference 2008

26

2 (g + 4)

= g+4+g+4 = g+g+8 = 2g + 8

AIS Conference 2008

27

2 (n+n+6)

(2 + n) 2 + 6

AIS Conference 2008

28

x y

1 1

2 5

3 9

4 13

5 17

6 21

7 25

Describe this pattern in words? Describe this pattern using symbols? What is the value of the 10th, 20th, 50th, 100th terms? Compare your answers. Discuss any differences to clarify who has predicted correctly.
AIS Conference 2008 29

Functional Thinking:
Students have difficulty connecting the top number with the bottom number

Common errors:
x goes up by 1 and y goes up by 4 x+1= y + 4 y starts at one and you keep adding 4 x = 1 + 4y

Algebra is not a personal shorthand to jot things down Algebra cannot be used to express all patterns
AIS Conference 2008 30

Students need to develop mature operations

Counting Adding Multiplying

AIS Conference 2008

31

Algebra resources

Syllabus and Sample Units of Work DET Patterns and Algebra

RIC pattern books (Paul Swan)

Origo algebra books (Elizabeth Warren) AAMT Others???
AIS Conference 2008 32