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3rd grade · Math · Unit 5 of 14

Patterns & Equations

Pattern rules and mystery numbers

What your child practices

Extending increasing and decreasing patterns, describing pattern rules in words and tables, and solving one-step equations like ☐ + 8 = 23.

Alabama Course of Study content standard: 3.4; 3.9 · finding unknown numbers in multiplication and division equations and explaining arithmetic patterns

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. An equation has an = sign. Both sides are the same.
  2. A letter or box stands for a missing number.
  3. Do the opposite to find it: the opposite of + is −.

Example: n + 7 = 15 Undo + 7 by taking away 7. 15 − 7 = 8. Answer: n = 8

Patterns & Equations in Alabama

In the Alabama Course of Study, this is unit 5 of 14 in 3rd grade Math, after Fractions and before Measuring.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    What number comes next?

    225, 200, 175, 150,

    • 125
    • 124
    • 126
    • 100

  2. Question 2

    Follow the pattern. What number goes where the ? is?

    WeekDollars saved
    120
    222
    324
    426
    5?

    answer box

  3. Question 3

    Which equation matches the story? The is the number we don't know.

    Noah had 69 marbles.

    Noah gave some to friends.

    Now Noah has 59.

    • ☐ − 69 = 59
    • 69 − ☐ = 59
    • 69 + 59 = ☐

  4. Question 4

    What number goes in the box?

    93 − = 17

    • 75
    • 77
    • 76
    • 110

  5. Question 5

    What number is missing from the pattern?

    40, 44, , 52, 56

    answer box

  6. Question 6

    Which pattern rule fits?

    37, 33, 29, 25

    • Start at 33 and subtract 4 each time
    • Start at 37 and add 4 each time
    • Start at 37 and subtract 5 each time
    • Start at 37 and subtract 4 each time

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