Number Patterns Teaching Resources
Explore number patterns in your maths classes this school year with fun worksheets, games and more teacher resources created to help your students understand how numbers in a sequence relate to one another.
Aligned with the Australian Version 9.0 maths standards, the printable and digital activities in this collection were created by the maths teachers on the Teach Starter team to help you save time on your lesson plans.
Whether this is your first year teaching about number patterns or you're just looking for a little extra help, we've got you covered. Read on for a primer from our teacher team! We explain what number patterns are so you can share with your class, plus we explore three common patterns.
What Are Number Patterns? A Kid-Friendly Definition
A number pattern is a series of numbers that each follow the same rule. These patterns or sequences can help us find missing numbers or identify what number will come next in a series.
For example, let's say you are given the following list of numbers:
- 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24
This is an example of a number pattern in which the next number in the series is 4 more than the previous number. Once you can identify the pattern in a series of numbers like this one, you can then use that pattern to determine what number comes next or even what numbers could have come before the list began.
This is one of the many reasons number patterns are an important part of building our students' algebraic reasoning skills. They help kids understand how numbers can be related to one another and apply what they know about those relationships to solve problems.
3 Common Types of Number Patterns
We can't talk about number patterns without breaking down the different types your students are going to encounter in their maths journey!
Linear Patterns
Linear patterns are number patterns in which the numbers increase or decrease by the same amount each time.
The example used above — in which each number in the series increased by a quantity of 4 — is a simple example of a linear pattern.
Geometric Number Patterns
Another type of pattern students may have to contend with is the geometric number pattern. This type involves numbers that are multiplied or divided by a constant factor.
The multiplication table is an example of a geometric number pattern.
Recursive Patterns
Students will have to make full use of their understanding of the four whole number operations to work with recursive patterns. That's because this pattern involves finding each successive number in the sequence by performing a specific operation on the previous number(s).
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Odd and Even Concertina Template
Create an odd and even number concertina to use as a tool during maths lessons on odd and even numbers.
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Even or Odd Socks Worksheets
Predict and confirm if a number is odd or even by pairing socks using this fun set of worksheets.
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Roll and Multiply Interactive Activity
Teach your students the multiplication strategy of repeated addition using this colourful interactive dice game!
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Skip Counting by 10s I Have, Who Has Game
Use this fast-paced whole class game to help your students practise skip counting by tens.
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10 More 10 Less Sorting Card Game
Engage your students and have them practise reading statements about values 10 more or 10 less, then and determining if the statement is accurate.
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Writing Equations – I Have, Who Has? Game
Practise identifying word sentences for different equations with an exciting I Have, Who Has game.
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Equations, Tables, and Graphs, Oh My! – Differentiated Worksheets
Use these differentiated worksheets to practise using equations to create patterns within input-output tables and graphs.
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Cowboy Peg Cards – 10 More, 10 Less/100 More, 100 Less
Use an understanding of place value to determine a number that is 10 or 100 more or less than a number with this set of peg cards.
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Number Neighbourhood - Number Line Sequencing Cards
Print a set of colourful numbered houses to use for skip counting, ordering, and comparing numbers.
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Evaluating Expressions – Paper Chain Activity
Use your understanding of the order of operations to evaluate expressions with one or two variables with this paper chain activity.
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Writing Equations – Match Up Activity
Practise matching word sentences to equations with variables with this 36-card match-up activity.
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Exponential Expressions – Match-Up Activity
Match numerical expressions with exponents to their expanded expressions and solutions with this match-up activity.
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Evaluating Expressions – Task Cards
Use this set of 24 task cards to practise evaluating expressions with a single variable.
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Writing Equations – Worksheet
Practise writing equations to represent a situation with this maths worksheet designed for year 7 students.
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Prime Factorisation Match-Up
Practise how to find the prime factorisation of a number with this match-up activity.
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Decimal Patterns Match-Up Activity
Use this match-up activity to determine patterns and extend numerical sequences by adding and subtracting decimals.
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Complex Dot-to-dot – Skip Counting by Sevens (Wolf) – Worksheet
A complex dot-to-dot where students demonstrate skip counting by sevens.
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Comparing Numbers Board Game
A hands-on Board Game to practise comparing numbers less than ten.
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Numbers 1 to 100 - Odds, Evens and Counting in 5's - Trees
Numbers 1 to 100 displayed on a bright and colourful poster.
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Dot-to-Dot Drawing - Numbers by 1 - Elephant
Join the dots and numbers to make a picture.
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Dot-to-Dot Drawing - Numbers by 1 - Dove
Join the dots and numbers to make a picture.
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Skip Counting Number Line - 0-100
A number line with numbers 0-100.
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The Number Pattern Robot
A fun place value activity to help students identify number patterns and their rules.
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Patterns and Algebra Worksheets - Foundation
4 patterns and algebra worksheets linked to the Australian Curriculum.
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Skip Counting by 9s Dominoes
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when skip counting by 9s.
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Skip Counting by 8s Dominoes
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when skip counting by 8s.
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Skip Counting by 7s Dominoes
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when skip counting by 7s.
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Skip Counting by 4s Dominoes
A set of dominoes to use in the classroom when skip counting by 4s.
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Basic Algebra Symbols Poster
A poster with eight basic mathematics algebra symbols to display in your classroom.
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Ordinal Position Task Cards
Support early maths learning with this ordinal position activity designed to help Foundation students explore position and order through a fun, hands‑on number track task.
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Number Ordering Halloween Puzzles
Practise counting with a fun set of spook-tacular Halloween puzzles!
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Dividing by Powers of 10 Worksheet Set
Utilise this dividing by powers of 10 worksheet set to give your students practise dividing whole numbers by 10, 100 and 1000.
- Number Patterns Worksheets
- Number Patterns Games
- Number Patterns Posters
- Number Patterns Templates
- Number Patterns for Foundation Year
- Number Patterns for Year 1
- Number Patterns for Year 2
- Number Patterns for Year 3
- Number Patterns for Year 4
- Number Patterns for Year 5
- Number Patterns for Year 6
- Number Patterns for Year 7