The primary sector involves activities that:

produce goods directly from nature

Which of these belongs to the secondary sector?

Manufacturing cloth from cotton in a factory

What is mathematics described as in this chapter?

It is the search for patterns and for the explanations of why those patterns exist; mathematicians view it as both an art and a science.

Why are \(1, 3, 6, 10, 15\) called triangular numbers?

Because that many dots can be arranged exactly in the shape of a triangle.

What is the sum of the first 10 odd numbers?

It is \(10^2 = 100\), because adding the first \(n\) odd numbers always gives \(n^2\).

What special number is both a triangular number and a square number?

36, since 36 dots can be arranged both in a triangle and in a square.

Which sequence do you get by adding counting numbers up and down (\(1, 1+2+1, 1+2+3+2+1, \dots\))?

The square numbers \(1, 4, 9, 16, 25, \dots\).

What do you get when you add consecutive triangular numbers, e.g. \(1+3, 3+6, 6+10\)?

The square numbers \(4, 9, 16, 25, \dots\).

What number sequence is given by the number of sides of regular polygons?

The counting numbers starting at 3: \(3, 4, 5, 6, 7, \dots\) (triangle, quadrilateral, pentagon, \dots).

Which number sequence comes from the number of lines in complete graphs \(K_2, K_3, K_4, \dots\)?

The triangular numbers \(1, 3, 6, 10, 15, \dots\).

What is the corresponding number sequence for line segments in the Koch snowflake?

\(3, 12, 48, 192, \dots\), which is 3 times the powers of 4.

Patterns in Mathematics

Q: What branch of mathematics studies patterns in whole numbers?

Number theory studies patterns in whole numbers \(0, 1, 2, 3, \dots\).

Class 6 Mathematics · Ganita Prakash · Chapter 1

CBSE Class 6 community

View all

All available subjects

~140days leftAnnual exams · school dates varyFeb–Mar 2027 · school-specific · tentative

TrendingEvery subject, one purchase

Mathematics
Science
+ 3 more

~7 pages per kitPage 1 free

Get all 5 kits · ₹119

Mathematics

~140days leftAnnual exams · school dates varyFeb–Mar 2027 · school-specific · tentative

Revise all of it in about an hour

Space weighted by chapter size
Charts from the book's own data
Traps corrected

Only 7 pagesPage 1 free

Get the kit · ₹29

Science

~140days leftAnnual exams · school dates varyFeb–Mar 2027 · school-specific · tentative

Revise all of it in about an hour

Space weighted by chapter size
Charts from the book's own data
Traps corrected

Only 7 pagesPage 1 free

Get the kit · ₹29

Social Science

~140days leftAnnual exams · school dates varyFeb–Mar 2027 · school-specific · tentative

TrendingRevise all of it in about an hour

Space weighted by chapter size
Charts from the book's own data
Traps corrected

Only 7 pagesPage 1 free

Get the kit · ₹29

English · Poorvi

~140days leftAnnual exams · school dates varyFeb–Mar 2027 · school-specific · tentative

Revise all of it in about an hour

Space weighted by chapter size
Charts from the book's own data
Traps corrected

Only 7 pagesPage 1 free

Get the kit · ₹29

हिंदी

~140days leftAnnual exams · school dates varyFeb–Mar 2027 · school-specific · tentative

Revise all of it in about an hour

Space weighted by chapter size
Charts from the book's own data
Traps corrected

Only 7 pagesPage 1 free

Get the kit · ₹29

Browse all 6 kits →

Summary

This opening chapter presents mathematics as the search for patterns and the explanations of why those patterns exist. It introduces number sequences as the most basic patterns of whole numbers \(0, 1, 2, 3, \dots\) studied in number theory. Key sequences include counting numbers, odd numbers, even numbers, triangular numbers \(1, 3, 6, 10, 15, \dots\), square numbers \(1, 4, 9, 16, 25, \dots\), cubes \(1, 8, 27, 64, \dots\), Virah\u0101nka (Fibonacci-like) numbers, and powers of 2 and 3. Many sequences can be visualised with dot pictures, and the chapter shows beautiful relations: the sum of the first \(n\) odd numbers equals \(n^2\) (so \(1+3+5+7+9+11=36\)), adding counting numbers up and down also gives square numbers, and adding consecutive triangular numbers gives squares. It then turns to patterns of shapes \u2014 regular polygons, complete graphs, stacked triangles and squares, and the Koch snowflake \u2014 studied in geometry, and links these shape sequences back to number sequences (sides of regular polygons give counting numbers from 3, lines in complete graphs give triangular numbers).

What is Mathematics?Patterns in NumbersVisualising Number SequencesRelations among Number SequencesPatterns in ShapesRelation to Number Sequences

Key terms

Number sequence

An ordered list of numbers formed by a fixed rule, such as odd numbers or square numbers.

Triangular numbers

The sequence \(1, 3, 6, 10, 15, \dots\) formed by dots that can be arranged in a triangle.

Square numbers

The sequence \(1, 4, 9, 16, 25, \dots\); the number \(n^2\) of dots arranged in a square.

Cubes

The sequence \(1, 8, 27, 64, 125, \dots\), i.e. \(n^3\) dots arranged in a cube.

Regular polygon

A closed shape with all sides equal and all angles equal, such as an equilateral triangle or square.

Koch snowflake

A shape sequence with \(3, 12, 48, \dots\) line segments (3 times powers of 4), formed by repeatedly replacing each segment with a bump.

Extra questions & answers

Figure it Out

Try one from this chapter

Which branch of mathematics studies patterns in whole numbers?

Flashcards & interactive practice

Patterns in Mathematics

CBSE Class 6 community

Summary

Key terms

Extra questions & answers

Figure it Out

Figure it Out

Figure it Out

Figure it Out

Figure it Out

Figure it Out

Practice quiz · Patterns in Mathematics

Data & insights