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Patterns and Inductive Reasoning
Patterns and Inductive Reasoning
1 2 3 4 5
Ex. 1: Describing a Visual
Pattern - Solution
The sixth figure in the pattern has 6
squares in the bottom row.
5 6
Ex. 2: Describing a Number
Pattern
Describe a pattern in the sequence of
numbers. Predict the next number.
a. 1, 4, 16, 64
Many times in number pattern, it is
easiest listing the numbers vertically
rather than horizontally.
Ex. 2: Describing a Number
Pattern How do you get to
How to proceed:
List some specific examples and look for a
pattern.
Ex. 3: Making a Conjecture
First odd positive integer:
1 = 12
1 + 3 = 4 = 22
1 + 3 + 5 = 9 = 32
1 + 3 + 5 + 7 = 16 = 42
The sum of the first n odd positive
integers is n2.
Note:
To prove that a conjecture is true, you
need to prove it is true in all cases. To
prove that a conjecture is false, you
need to provide a single counter
example. A counterexample is an
example that shows a conjecture is
false.
Ex. 4: Finding a
counterexample
Show the conjecture is false by finding
a counterexample.