Question

Tristan is comparing two number patterns based on the information below.

Both patterns start with the number 1.
Pattern A follows the rule “add 3”.
Pattern B follows the rule “add 4”.
How does each of the first 5 terms in Pattern A compare to the first 5 terms in Pattern B?
As part of your answer, list the first 5 terms of each pattern.
Explain your answer.

Answer 1

Pattern A = 1, 4, 7, 10, 13

Pattern B = 1, 5, 9, 13, 17

Each term is increases at a faster rate in pattern B; the difference between terms increases by one per step. In pattern A, 1 jumps to 4, while in pattern B, 1 jumps to 5. There is a difference of one. But when in pattern A, 4 jumps to 7, in pattern B, 5 jumps to 9. The is a difference of two between these two terms even though they are on the same "jump." This difference increases by one per "jump." (Jump is not the official word for this but I'm assuming this isn't a sequence problem.)