Reception Maths Patterns: check-up and practice test questions

Key words. A pattern is something that repeats.

Method. Look for the part that repeats. Then carry on the pattern.

1. Look at the pattern. Find the part that repeats.
   red, blue, red, blue
2. Carry on the pattern. The next one repeats the start of the pattern.
   red, blue, red, blue, red
3. Write the answer.
   red

Check. Read the whole pattern again. The repeat fits. ✓

Watch out. Check the last two or three things. They should match the start of the pattern.

Key words. A pattern is something that repeats.

Method. Look for the part that repeats. Then carry on the pattern.

1. Look at the pattern. Find the part that repeats.
   red, red, blue, red, red
2. Carry on the pattern. The next one repeats the start of the pattern.
   red, red, blue, red, red, blue
3. Write the answer.
   blue

Check. Read the whole pattern again. The repeat fits. ✓

Watch out. Check the last two or three things. They should match the start of the pattern.

Key words. A pattern is something that repeats.

Method. Look for the part that repeats. Then carry on the pattern.

1. Look at the pattern. Find the part that repeats.
   yellow, green, red, yellow, green
2. Carry on the pattern. The next one repeats the start of the pattern.
   yellow, green, red, yellow, green, red
3. Write the answer.
   red

Check. Read the whole pattern again. The repeat fits. ✓

Watch out. Check the last two or three things. They should match the start of the pattern.

Key words. An even number can be made into pairs. An odd number has one left over.

Method. Put the things in pairs. If every thing has a partner, the number is even. If one is left over, it is odd.

1. Make pairs from the 4 things. Put two things together in each pair.
   2 pairs
2. Look for a left-over thing. A left-over thing means there is no partner.
   0 left over
3. Write the answer.
   even

Check. Count the pairs: 2 pairs, and 0 left over. ✓

Watch out. An even number can be made into pairs with none left over.

Key words. An even number can be made into pairs. An odd number has one left over.

Method. Put the things in pairs. If every thing has a partner, the number is even. If one is left over, it is odd.

1. Make pairs from the 9 things. Put two things together in each pair.
   4 pairs
2. Look for a left-over thing. A left-over thing means there is no partner.
   1 left over
3. Write the answer.
   odd

Check. Count the pairs: 4 pairs, and 1 left over. ✓

Watch out. An even number can be made into pairs with none left over.

Method. A double is two equal groups. Add the same number twice. The total is even.

1. Make two equal groups of 4. The two groups match.
   4 and 4
2. Add them together. Count all the things.
   4 + 4 = 8
3. Write the answer.
   8

Check. Make pairs from 8: they all have a partner. ✓

Watch out. Doubles are always even.

Method. A double is two equal groups. Add the same number twice. The total is even.

1. Make two equal groups of 5. The two groups match.
   5 and 5
2. Add them together. Count all the things.
   5 + 5 = 10
3. Write the answer.
   10

Check. Make pairs from 10: they all have a partner. ✓

Watch out. Doubles are always even.

Key words. To share equally means each group gets the same number.

Method. Share the 8 things equally. Give one to each group, and keep going until none are left.

1. Start with 8. We share all of them.
   8
2. Give one to each of the 2 groups, again and again. Each group gets the same number.
   [4] [4]
3. Count how many each group has. Each group has the same number.
   4 each
4. Write the answer.
   4

Check. Check: 4 + 4 = 8. ✓

Watch out. Share one at a time, so each group gets the same.

Key words. Half is one of two equal parts.

Method. Half means two equal parts. Share 6 into two equal groups.

1. Start with 6. We share it into two.
   6
2. Share it into two equal groups. Give one to each group, again and again.
   3 and 3
3. Write the answer.
   3

Check. Put the two groups together: 3 + 3 = 6. ✓

Watch out. Half is one of two equal parts.

Method. Think about making pairs.

1. Make pairs. Put things in twos.
   pairs
2. Look for a left-over. Even: none left. Odd: one left.
   none or one left
3. Write the answer.
   Accept any answer: even numbers make pairs with none left, odd numbers have one left over.

Check. Make pairs for 6 and 7 to check. ✓

Watch out. Pairs show odd and even.

Key words. A pattern is something that repeats.

Method. Look for the part that repeats. Then carry on the pattern.

1. Look at the pattern. Find the part that repeats.
   blue, yellow, blue, yellow
2. Carry on the pattern. The next one repeats the start of the pattern.
   blue, yellow, blue, yellow, blue
3. Write the answer.
   blue

Check. Read the whole pattern again. The repeat fits. ✓

Watch out. Check the last two or three things. They should match the start of the pattern.

Key words. A pattern is something that repeats.

Method. Look for the part that repeats. Then carry on the pattern.

1. Look at the pattern. Find the part that repeats.
   red, blue, yellow, red, blue
2. Carry on the pattern. The next one repeats the start of the pattern.
   red, blue, yellow, red, blue, yellow
3. Write the answer.
   yellow

Check. Read the whole pattern again. The repeat fits. ✓

Watch out. Check the last two or three things. They should match the start of the pattern.

Key words. An even number can be made into pairs. An odd number has one left over.

Method. Put the things in pairs. If every thing has a partner, the number is even. If one is left over, it is odd.

1. Make pairs from the 7 things. Put two things together in each pair.
   3 pairs
2. Look for a left-over thing. A left-over thing means there is no partner.
   1 left over
3. Write the answer.
   odd

Check. Count the pairs: 3 pairs, and 1 left over. ✓

Watch out. An even number can be made into pairs with none left over.

Key words. To share equally means each group gets the same number.

Method. Share the 10 things equally. Give one to each group, and keep going until none are left.

1. Start with 10. We share all of them.
   10
2. Give one to each of the 2 groups, again and again. Each group gets the same number.
   [5] [5]
3. Count how many each group has. Each group has the same number.
   5 each
4. Write the answer.
   5

Check. Check: 5 + 5 = 10. ✓

Watch out. Share one at a time, so each group gets the same.

Key words. A pattern is something that repeats.

Method. Look for the part that repeats. Then carry on the pattern.

1. Look at the pattern. Find the part that repeats.
   green, green, yellow, green, green
2. Carry on the pattern. The next one repeats the start of the pattern.
   green, green, yellow, green, green, yellow
3. Write the answer.
   yellow

Check. Read the whole pattern again. The repeat fits. ✓

Watch out. Check the last two or three things. They should match the start of the pattern.

Method. Make pairs from 8.

1. Make pairs. Put two things in each pair.
   4 pairs
2. Look for a left-over. There are none left over.
   none left
3. Write the answer.
   Even. Eight makes four pairs with none left over.

Check. Count the pairs: four pairs, nothing left. ✓

Watch out. Even numbers have no left-over.

Method. Make pairs from 5.

1. Make pairs. Two pairs use four things.
   2 pairs
2. Look for a left-over. One thing is left over.
   1 left
3. Write the answer.
   No. 5 is odd, because when you make pairs one is left over.

Check. Count 5: two pairs and one left. ✓

Watch out. Odd numbers have one left over.

Method. Copy the pattern and look at the last colour.

1. Write the pattern. Red, red, blue.
   red, red, blue
2. Copy it again. Red, red, blue, red, red, blue.
   red, red, blue, red, red, blue
3. Look at the last colour. The last colour in the copy is blue.
   blue
4. Write the answer.
   blue

Check. Count the colours: six in total. ✓

Watch out. The last colour is the end of the copy.

Method. Share one at a time between the two friends.

1. Give one to each. One each, in turn.
   1 and 1
2. Keep going until none are left. Each friend gets the same.
   4 and 4
3. Write the answer.
   Accept any answer: give one to each friend in turn until none are left, so each gets 4.

Check. Add the shares: 4 + 4 = 8. ✓

Watch out. Give one at a time so the shares are equal.

Method. Make pairs from 7 cubes.

1. Make pairs. Three pairs use six cubes.
   3 pairs
2. Look for a left-over. One cube is left over.
   1 left
3. Write the answer.
   No. 7 is odd, so one cube is left over when they share.

Check. Share 7: three each and one left. ✓

Watch out. An odd number cannot be shared equally into two.