The concept of pattern recognition lies at the heart of numerous deliberations concerned with new mathematics curricula, because it is strongly linked to improved generalised thinking. However none of these discussions has made the deceptive nature of patterns an object of exploration and understanding. Yet there is evidence showing that pattern…

The pattern, which is a key concept in understanding the mathematical information and concepts, is the basis in comprehending mathematical relations and in understanding mathematical order and logic. The fact that students discover the relationships contained within the patterns and generalize them helps them develop their skills to better…

Initial exposure to algebraic thinking involves the critical leap from working with numbers to thinking with variables. The transition to thinking mathematically using variables has many layers, and for all students an abstraction that is clear in one setting may be opaque in another. Geometric counting and the resulting algebraic patterns provide…

This article draws out many mathematical ideas connected with a familiar game often used by middle school teachers. (Contains 5 figures and 1 table.)

The relation between the area of a rectangle and its perimeter is clarified by looking at patterns. Several examples involving rectangles with integral sides are presented. (MNS)

Tree diagrams with numbers in a given pattern generate questions related to pattern recognition and number concepts such as binary numbers and exponentials. (MP)

An activity project is described which encourages students to question and experiment. Appendices provide examples of student results. (MNS)

Pattern work is now undertaken as early as kindergarten, and both researchers and teachers have discovered that children engage in pattern work with great enthusiasm and innate ability. Having some flexibility in pattern perception and selecting mathematically useful patterns require some training, although there is nothing particularly algebraic…

Mathematical proofs often leave students unconvinced or without understanding of what has been proved, because they provide no visual-geometric representation. Presented are geometric models for the finite geometric series when r is a whole number, and the infinite geometric series when r is the reciprocal of a whole number. (MNS)

Briefly presented are suggestions on using exercises in number patterns in second-year algebra and factoring quadratics in a 10th-grade enrichment class. (MNS)

A computer program is presented for the billiard ball problem. It can be integrated into a lesson on inductive reasoning and suggests several ways to do so. (MNS)

Describes a card trick that provides opportunities for students to discover patterns, work with variables, create tables, and ponder mathematics. Students at various levels of ability are able to enjoy the trick, and mathematical discourse is promoted within the classroom. (AIM)