Pattern & probability
Pattern and probability
Patterns repeat in the same order. Probability is about how likely something is — it will happen, it might happen, or it won't happen.
Regular patterns
A regular pattern repeats in the same order over and over, like red, blue, red, blue. Because it repeats, you can always tell what comes next.
Random patterns
A random pattern has no repeating order, like red, red, blue, green, red. You cannot tell what will come next.
Number patterns
Numbers can make patterns too. 10, 20, 30, 40 goes up in tens. Look at how much the numbers jump each time, then keep the jumps the same.
How likely? (chance)
Chance is about how likely something is to happen. Something that is sure will happen. Something that can never happen won't happen. Something in between might happen.
Worked examples
Continue a repeating pattern
- The pattern is circle, triangle, circle, triangle.
- It repeats: circle then triangle.
- After a circle comes a triangle.
Answer: The next shape is a triangle.
Continue a number pattern
- The numbers are 15, 25, 35, 45.
- They go up in tens each time.
- 45 + 10 = 55.
Answer: The next number is 55.
Spot a random pattern
- Look at red, red, blue, green, red.
- There is no repeating order.
- You cannot tell what comes next.
Answer: This is a random pattern.
How likely is it?
- Think about tossing a coin.
- It could land on heads, or it could land on tails.
- You cannot be sure which.
Answer: It might happen — heads and tails are both possible.
Where you see this in real life
- Stripes on a jumper that repeat in the same order.
- Tiles on a floor that make a repeating pattern.
- The days of the week repeating over and over.
- Deciding to take an umbrella when rain might happen.
Key words
- Regular pattern
- A pattern that repeats in the same order over and over.
- Random pattern
- A pattern with no repeating order.
- Chance
- How likely it is that something will happen.
- Will happen
- It is sure to happen.
- Might happen
- It could happen, but it is not sure.
- Won't happen
- It can never happen.
- Experiment
- A test, like tossing a coin many times to see the results.