Year 6 Maths reasoning (SATs) · Algebra and sequences · Summary
Year 6 Maths reasoning (SATs) Algebra and sequences: summary and key words
Part of the Year 6 Maths reasoning (SATs) algebra and sequences chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Chapter summary
| Skill | Method |
|---|---|
| Linear sequence | The same difference between every pair of neighbouring terms. |
| Term-to-term rule | Say how to get from one term to the next, in words: add 4, subtract 3. |
| nth term | First term + (n - 1) x difference. |
| Formula | Write n in place of the position: 3n + 1; the number in front of n is the difference. |
| Substitution | Replace each letter with its value, then multiply before you add. |
| Solving an equation | Undo the operations in reverse order, with the same change to both sides. |
| Pairs with two unknowns | List all pairs in a systematic table, in order. |
| Is a term in a sequence? | Is the difference from the first term a whole-number multiple of the difference? |
Can you…?
- I can find the next term and a missing term in a linear sequence
- I can find the nth term and write a formula for it
- I can substitute values into a formula written in words or letters
- I can write and solve an equation for a missing number
- I can list all the pairs that satisfy an equation with two unknowns
- I can say whether a number is a term of a sequence, and explain why
Key terms
- term
- one number in a sequence
- linear sequence
- a sequence where the same difference is added or subtracted each time
- difference
- the amount added or subtracted each time in a linear sequence
- formula
- a rule that connects a result to a number, written with letters or words
- substitute
- put a number in place of a letter
- inverse operation
- the operation that undoes another, such as subtract for add