Patterns in Mathematics | FIO

Question 20

Try and redraw each sequence in Table 3 in your notebook. Can you draw the next shape in each sequence? Why or why not? After each sequence, describe in your own words what is the rule or pattern for forming the shapes in the sequence.

Solution

Understand the Question

Each sequence in the table follows a specific geometric pattern or iterative rule.
By identifying how each shape changes from one step to the next, we can determine whether the next shape can be drawn and define the rule governing each sequence.

Step 1 · Regular Polygons

Yes, the next shape can be drawn. Diagram 1

The sequence starts with a $3$ -sided regular polygon (triangle), followed by $4$ sides (quadrilateral), $5$ sides (pentagon), up to $10$ sides (decagon).
Each successive shape has one additional equal side.
The next shape has $11$ equal sides, called a hendecagon (or $11$ -gon).

Rule: Each new shape is a regular polygon with one more side than the preceding shape.

Step 2 · Complete Graphs

Yes, the next shape can be drawn. Diagram 2

The graphs progress as $K_2$ ( $2$ vertices), $K_3$ ( $3$ vertices), $\dots$ , $K_6$ ( $6$ vertices), where every vertex is connected to every other vertex.
To form the next graph, $K_7$ , add a $7^{\text{th}}$ vertex and connect it with straight line segments to all $6$ existing vertices.

Rule: Add one new vertex and connect it to all existing vertices.

Step 3 · Stacked Squares

Yes, the next shape can be drawn. Diagram 3

The shapes form grids of unit squares: $1 \times 1$ , $2 \times 2$ , $3 \times 3$ , $4 \times 4$ , and $5 \times 5$ .
The next shape in the sequence is a $6 \times 6$ square grid containing $6^2 = 36$ unit squares.

Rule: Increase the side length of the square grid by $1$ unit in both rows and columns.

Step 4 · Stacked Triangles

Yes, the next shape can be drawn. Diagram 4

The sequence adds rows of unit triangles from top to bottom:
- Row 1: $1$ triangle (total $= 1$ )
- Row 2: adds $2$ triangles (total $= 3$ )
- Row 3: adds $3$ triangles (total $= 6$ )
- Row 5: $5$ rows (total $= 15$ triangles)
The next shape has $6$ rows, adding a new bottom row with $6$ small triangles (total $= 15 + 6 = 21$ triangles).

Rule: Add a new row at the bottom with one more triangle than the previous bottom row.

Step 5 · Koch Snowflake

Yes, the next shape can theoretically be drawn, though it requires precise microscopic detail. Diagram 5

Starting from an equilateral triangle, each straight line segment is divided into three equal parts.
The middle third is replaced with two segments of the same length forming an outward-pointing equilateral triangle.
Repeating this process on every line segment produces the next stage.

Rule: On every straight segment, replace the middle third with two equal segments forming an outward-pointing triangle.

Answer

Yes, the next shape in each sequence can be drawn by following its geometric rule:

Regular Polygons: Increase the number of equal sides by $1$ (next is an $11$ -sided regular polygon).
Complete Graphs: Add one new vertex and connect it to every existing vertex (next is $K_7$ ).
Stacked Squares: Increase the grid dimension by $1$ on each side (next is a $6 \times 6$ grid).
Stacked Triangles: Add a new bottom row containing $1$ more triangle than the row above it (next has $6$ rows, total $21$ triangles).
Koch Snowflake: Replace the middle third of every line segment with an outward-pointing equilateral triangle.

Common Mistakes

Overlooking Graph Edges: For complete graphs ( $K_n$ ), forgetting to connect the new vertex to all existing vertices rather than just the neighboring ones.
Linear vs. Triangular Growth: In stacked triangles, confusing the total number of triangles ( $1, 3, 6, 10, 15, 21, \dots$ ) with the number of triangles added in the bottom row ( $1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, \dots$ ).
Drawing Koch Snowflake Iterations: Attempting to add triangles only to the main vertices instead of modifying every single straight line segment.

More questions in FIO

Can you think of other examples where mathematics helps us in our everyday lives?

How has mathematics helped propel humanity forward? (You might think of examples involving: carrying out scientific experiments; running our economy and democracy; building bridges, houses or other complex structures; making TVs, mobile phones, computers, bicycles, trains, cars, planes, calendars, clocks, etc.)

Can you recognise the pattern in each of the sequences in Table 1?

Rewrite each sequence of Table 1 in your notebook, along with the next three numbers in each sequence! After each sequence, write in your own words what is the rule for forming the numbers in the sequence.

Copy the pictorial representations of the number sequences in Table 2 in your notebook, and draw the next picture for each sequence!

Why are $1, 3, 6, 10, 15, \dots$ called triangular numbers? Why are $1, 4, 9, 16, 25, \dots$ called square numbers or squares? Why are $1, 8, 27, 64, 125, \dots$ called cubes?

You will have noticed that 36 is both a triangular number and a square number! That is, 36 dots can be arranged perfectly both in a triangle and in a square. Make pictures in your notebook illustrating this!

This shows that the same number can be represented differently, and play different roles, depending on the context. Try representing some other numbers pictorially in different ways!

What would you call the following sequence of numbers?

That's right, they are called hexagonal numbers! Draw these in your notebook. What is the next number in the sequence?

Can you think of pictorial ways to visualise the sequence of Powers of 2? Powers of 3?

Q10

Can you find a similar pictorial explanation for why adding counting numbers up and down, i.e., $1$ , $1 + 2 + 1$ , $1 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 1$ , $\dots$ , gives square numbers?

Q11

By imagining a large version of your picture, or drawing it partially, as needed, can you see what will be the value of $1 + 2 + 3 + \dots + 99 + 100 + 99 + \dots + 3 + 2 + 1$ ?

Q12

Which sequence do you get when you start to add the All 1's sequence up? What sequence do you get when you add the All 1's sequence up and down?

Q13

Which sequence do you get when you start to add the counting numbers up? Can you give a smaller pictorial explanation?

Q14

What happens when you add up pairs of consecutive triangular numbers? That is, take $1 + 3, 3 + 6, 6 + 10, 10 + 15, \dots$ Which sequence do you get? Why? Can you explain it with a picture?

Q15

What happens when you start to add up powers of $2$ starting with $1$ , i.e., take $1$ , $1 + 2$ , $1 + 2 + 4$ , $1 + 2 + 4 + 8, \dots$ ? Now add $1$ to each of these numbers—what numbers do you get? Why does this happen?

Q16

What happens when you multiply the triangular numbers by 6 and add 1? Which sequence do you get? Can you explain it with a picture?

Q17

What happens when you start to add up hexagonal numbers, i.e., take $1$ , $1 + 7$ , $1 + 7 + 19$ , $1 + 7 + 19 + 37, \dots$ ? Which sequence do you get? Can you explain it using a picture of a cube?

Question diagram(s):

Q18

Find your own patterns or relations in and among the sequences in Table 1. Can you explain why they happen with a picture or otherwise?

Q19

Can you recognise the pattern in each of the sequences in Table 3?

Q20

Q21

Count the number of sides in each shape in the sequence of Regular Polygons. Which number sequence do you get? What about the number of corners in each shape in the sequence of Regular Polygons? Do you get the same number sequence? Can you explain why this happens?

Q22

Count the number of lines in each shape in the sequence of Complete Graphs. Which number sequence do you get? Can you explain why?

Q23

How many little squares are there in each shape of the sequence of Stacked Squares? Which number sequence does this give? Can you explain why?

Q24

How many little triangles are there in each shape of the sequence of Stacked Triangles? Which number sequence does this give? Can you explain why? (Hint: In each shape in the sequence, how many triangles are there in each row?)

Q25

To get from one shape to the next shape in the Koch Snowflake sequence, one replaces each line segment '—' by a 'speed bump' _/_ . As one does this more and more times, the changes become tinier and tinier with very very small line segments. How many total line segments are there in each shape of the Koch Snowflake? What is the corresponding number sequence? (The answer is $3, 12, 48, \dots$ , i.e., $3$ times Powers of $4$ ; this sequence is not shown in Table 1.)