Name _________________________________________ Bate __________ Pei _____

Growth Pattern Investigation

Big Ideas:
1. Students will be able to model real-world situations using algebraic expressions and equations.
2. Students will be able to identify a variable as a convenient way for mathematicians to
generalize situations.

Outline of investigation:

Day 1
! Introduce the concept of a growth pattern with squares or blocks
! Students use the first two terms in a growth pattern to create subsequent terms
! Students will use algebra to generalize their pattern(s)
! Advanced students will create equivalent expressions to represent the patterns
! Students will create their own growth pattern and use algebra to generalize it

Day 2
! Students will explore, using manipulatives, several growth patterns that involve real-world
situations.
! Students will create their own situation (ideally one that is relevant and interesting to them)
that can be modeled using a growth pattern.

Day 3
! Students will present their growth patterns using posters, powerpoint, or other media.

Lessons:

Day 1
! Warm-up
! Draw the following pattern on the board

Term 1 Term 2
! Ask students to draw the next term in the growth pattern. There are several different
options. It might help to have students use colored pencils to show where the new
squares are in their pattern.



! Students share responses. Many responses will be incorrect. Work as a class to
decide which patterns are growth patterns and why.

Name _________________________________________ Bate __________ Pei _____

! Independent or Partner Work: Students will work independently or in pairs to complete the
growth pattern worksheet for at least two of the growth patterns found during the warm-
up. (Note that the middle pattern shown above is quadratic and is quite difficult!) You may
want to show how to use the worksheet with a simple growth pattern before the students
work on their own.
! Independent assignment or homework: Students should complete one section of the growth
pattern worksheet for a pattern that they create. Students should have their pattern
approved by teacher or classmate for validity before completing this assignment.

Day 2
! Set up six stations with manipulatives corresponding to the problems in the growth pattern
packet. Students will rotation stations, completing each worksheet as they go.
! When finished, students will work independently to create their own situation that follows a
growth pattern. Students will create a worksheet for other students to complete, or present
their pattern in another manner, like a powerpoint presentation or a poster.

Day 3
! Students will present projects!
Name _________________________________________ Bate __________ Pei _____

Name(s) ______________________________ Date ___________ Per
______

Growth Pattern Worksheet

1) Draw the first 4 terms of the pattern.





2) Describe in words how the pattern is
growing.




3) SKETCH the 20
th
term.








4) How many tiles will be in the 20
th
term?
Show your thinking.









5) How many tiles will be in the 100
th
term?
Show your thinking,








6) Write an expression to represent the number
of tiles in the nth term.
1) Draw the first 4 terms of the pattern.





2) Describe in words how the pattern is
growing.




3) SKETCH the 20
th
term.








4) How many tiles will be in the 20
th
term?
Show your thinking.









5) How many tiles will be in the 100
th
term?
Show your thinking,








6) Write an expression to represent the number
of tiles in the nth term.
Name _________________________________________ Bate __________ Pei _____



1) Draw the first 4 terms of the pattern.





2) Describe in words how the pattern is
growing.




3) SKETCH the 20
th
term.








4) How many tiles will be in the 20
th
term?
Show your thinking.









5) How many tiles will be in the 100
th
term?
Show your thinking,








6) Write an expression to represent the number
of tiles in the nth term.
1) Draw the first 4 terms of the pattern.





2) Describe in words how the pattern is
growing.




3) SKETCH the 20
th
term.








4) How many tiles will be in the 20
th
term?
Show your thinking.









5) How many tiles will be in the 100
th
term?
Show your thinking,








6) Write an expression to represent the number
of tiles in the nth term.

Name _________________________________________ Bate __________ Pei _____

!"#$%#&'() +#"&,

Foi a giauuation paity, Stephanie's uau is putting togethei lots of equilateial tiiangles like the
ones you see heie. 0ne peison can sit at each siue of the tiiangle.








1. In the space below, investigate how many people can sit at tables maue of 1 tiiangle, 2
tiiangles, S tiiangles, 4 tiiangles, etc. Keep woiking until you see a pattein. 0iganize youi woik
in a table.
















2. If you have 14 people to seat, how many tiiangulai tables uo you neeu to put togethei. Show
woik.



S. If you have 2S tiiangulai tables, how many people can Stephanie have at hei paity. Show
woik.




4. What is the ielationship between the numbei of tiiangulai tables anu the numbei of people
that can sit uown. Wiite youi answei in a complete sentence.


S. If you have ! tiiangulai tables, how many people can sit.
S people
can sit heie.
4 people
can sit heie.
S people
can sit heie.
Name _________________________________________ Bate __________ Pei _____

-(%"&,#"$ .'/01

You aie planning a tile pattein foi the siuewalk outsiue of KIPP. You've selecteu a beautiful
hexagonal tile foi the pattein, but have to ueciue how iows many to use.

0ne Row Two Rows Thiee Rows Foui Rows

1. In the space below, investigate how many tiles will be useu in the uesign as the numbei of
iows changes. Woik until you see the pattein. 0iganize youi woik neatly.

2. If you select a pattein with 19 tiles, how many iows will theie be. Show woik.



S. If you choose to have ten iows, how many tiles aie theie in all. Show woik.



4. What is the ielationship between the numbei of iows in the uesign anu the total numbei of
tiles neeueu. Wiite youi answei in a complete sentence.



S. If you use " iows, how many tiles will you have.
Name _________________________________________ Bate __________ Pei _____


2#)3')3 +'4&%"01

We weie iunning out of
thumb tacks anu so we
hung the pictuies like the
ones shown to the iight.




1. In the space below, investigate how many tacks aie neeueu to hang 1 pictuie, 2 pictuies, S
pictuies, 4 pictuies, etc. 0iganize youi woik in a way that will be easy foi othei people to
unueistanu. You may uiaw pictuies if you want to.

















2. If you only have 1u thumb tacks, how many pictuies can you hang. Show youi woik.



S. If you have 28 pictuies, how many thumb tacks will you neeu. Show youi woik.


4. What is the ielationship between the numbei of pictuies anu the numbei of thumbtacks.
Wiite youi answei as a complete sentence.



S. If you have # pictuies, how many thumbtacks will you neeu.












1
pictuie

2 pictuies
S pictuies
Name _________________________________________ Bate __________ Pei _____


5%'/& 6#7')3

Suppose you want to make a quilt by sewing squaies of cloth togethei. The insiue pieces will all
be white, anu the outsiue pieces will all be giay. You want to quilt to be S squaies tall, but you
want to expeiiment with the wiuth.








1. In the space below, investigate how many giey squaies will be neeueu foi a quilt that is S
squaies wiue, 4 squaies wiue, S squaies wiue, 6 squaies wiue, etc. Keep woiking until you have
founu a pattein. 0iganize youi woik neatly. You may use coloi tiles to help you.
















2. If a quilt has 28 giey squaies, then how wiue is the quilt. (Show youi woik)



S. If youi quilt is 2u squaies wiue, then how many giey squaies will theie be. (Show youi
woik.)



4. What is the ielationship between the wiuth of the quilt anu the numbei of giey squaies.



S. Can you wiite youi answei to #4 algebiaically.
This quilt is S squaies
wiue anu has 12 giay
squaies
This quilt is 4 squaies
wiue anu has 14 giay
squaies
This quilt is S squaies
wiue anu has 16 giay
squaies
Name _________________________________________ Bate __________ Pei _____



8'//91 8')$(:

Will is installing a laige new winuow in his living ioom. The uesign of the laige winuow is maue
up of stacks of thiee hoiizontal iectangles sepaiateu by veitical iectangles. Will can choose how
many stacks aie in the uesign.




0ne Stack Two Stacks Thiee Stacks

1. In the space below, investigate how many iectangles will be useu in the uesign as the numbei
of stacks changes. Woik until you see the pattein. 0iganize youi woik neatly.



2. If Will selects a pattein with 21 iectangles, how many stacks aie incluueu. Show woik.



S. If Will chooses ten stacks, how many iectangles aie theie in all. Show woik.



4. What is the ielationship between the numbei of stacks in the uesign anu the total numbei of
total iectangles in the winuow.



S. Can you wiite youi answei to #4 algebiaically.
Name _________________________________________ Bate __________ Pei _____


+#;0" <(/$')3

Suppose you folu a piece of papei in half, then folu it in half again,
anu again, anu again. Bow many sections will you see when
you unfolu the papei.

1. In the space below, investigate how many sections the papei
will have if you folu it once, twice, thiee times, foui times, etc.
Keep woiking until you finu a pattein. You may use the papei
at the table to help you. 0iganize youi woik.


















2. If you coulu folu the papei 1u times, how many sections woulu it have. (Show woik)




S. If you folu the papei a bunch anu it has S2 sections, then how many times uiu you folu it.
(Show woik)




4. What is the ielationship between the numbei of sections anu the numbei of folus. Wiite youi
answei as a complete sentence.



S. If you make $ folus, how many sections will you have.

1 folu makes
2 sections
2 folus makes 4
sections
Name _________________________________________ Bate __________ Pei _____

=&(; ='3)1

Nashville is consiueiing a new uesign foi stop signs. To inciease visibility, they will make the
boiuei in alteinating ieu anu white. Each siue will have the same numbei of bais.

1. In the space below, investigate how many bais will be on the entiie stop sign as the numbei of
bais foi each siue changes. 0iganize youi woik neatly.

2. If you want to have a total of S2 bais on the outsiue of the stop sign, how many bais shoulu be
useu along each siue. Show woik.



S. If you have seven bais along each siue, how many bais aie theie in all. Show woik.



4. What is the ielationship between the numbei of bais on each siue of the stop sign anu the
total numbei of bais on the stop sign.



S. Can you wiite youi answei to #4 algebiaically.


0ne bai pei siue Two bais pei siue
ST0P ST0P