Number Pattern Questions have always daunted many students.

While some believe that one requires a certain level of Mathematical talent to spot the pattern, others (insist) that a stroke of luck is required to breeze through such questions. Even if your child has solved the question, doubts will linger if they have miscalculated their answer by 1 pattern number. 

Fret not! Here at Mega Minds Academy, we hear your woes, and we have categorised PSLE Number Pattern Questions into 3 different types.

For Direct Relationship questions, students are required to find specific numerical values for a large pattern number. This can easily be solved by identifying the relationship between the other columns in the table. 

The above question type is a typical one where there is a constant increase or decrease as the pattern number increases. Thus students will often be required to find the value for a large pattern number. For example, to find the number of matchsticks in Pattern 100, students will need to know that they need to add 3, 99 times to the first pattern with 4 matchsticks, thus giving an answer of 301. 

The final question type is the trickiest. These questions require students to spot that the linear increase only happens between alternating pattern numbers. Students tend to get stumped as not only does it require students to recognise the 2 alternating patterns, students must also be able to figure out whether to use pattern 1 or pattern 2 as the first pattern in their working. 

For example, 

1. To find the number of sweets in Pattern 99, students will need to know that they need to add 5, 49 times to the first pattern with 1 sweet, thus giving an answer of 246. 
2. To find the number of sweets in Pattern 100, students will need to know that they need to add 5, 49 times to the second pattern with 3 sweets, thus giving an answer of 248. 

At Mega Minds, our students will be taught on how to identify these question types and which techniques to apply, in a simple and effective way!

Specially for parents of our Mega Minds community, we would like to offer a trial lesson at $10! (usual price of $30). Each student is entitled to 1 trial lesson per subject. To redeem this offer, please send an SMS or WhatsApp message to 9431 2396 with the promo code “MMAPATTERNS”.