KS2 Maths reasoning (SATs) textbook

Chapter 7: Algebra and sequences

  • Strand Algebra
  • Level Year 6
  • Practice 91 questions with step-by-step solutions

KS2 SATs practice for reasoning (Year 6). Original questions in the style of the national tests. Content: Generate and describe linear number sequences, including the term-to-term rule in words and the position-to-term rule (Year 5-6), Find missing terms in sequences, including sequences that go up and down (Year 5-6), Use simple formulae written in words and in letters, and substitute values into them (Year 5-6), Express missing number problems algebraically, for example a + b = 10 (Year 5-6), Find pairs of numbers that satisfy an equation with two unknowns, and list all possibilities in a systematic table (Year 5-6), Solve simple linear equations with one unknown, using inverse operations (Year 6), Explain a pattern and say whether a term is in a sequence (Year 5-6).

Open Year 6 chapter

By the end of this chapter you will be able to

  • Find the next term and a missing term in a linear sequence
  • Find the nth term of a sequence, and write the formula for it
  • Substitute a value into a formula written in words or letters
  • Write and solve an equation for a missing number
  • List all the pairs that satisfy an equation with two unknowns

You should already know

  • Multiplication and division facts, and the four operations (Year 5 and Year 6 number)
  • Negative numbers and order of operations (Chapter 1 of this book)

Where this leads

  • Statistics and data (Chapter 8 of this book)

Lessons in this chapter

  1. 7.1 Linear sequences and missing terms
  2. 7.2 The nth term and the position-to-term rule
  3. 7.3 Formulae in words and letters
  4. 7.4 Missing numbers, equations and pairs
  5. 7.5 Explaining patterns and checking terms
  6. Summary and key words
  7. Check-up and practice test questions

Read the whole chapter on one page (good for printing).

Practise with real exam questions

The DfE publishes every past KS2 test, with mark schemes, for free.

KS2 Maths reasoning (SATs) past papers