CBSE · NCERT · Class 6 Maths · Chapter 1

NCERT Solutions: Class 6 Maths Chapter 1 - Patterns in Mathematics

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Chapter-wise NCERT intext questions and exercise answers for Patterns in Mathematics, grounded in the official textbook.

Questions are taken verbatim from the NCERT textbook; answers were grounded against the chapter's content during generation. Items needing review are marked.
Sections in this chapter
Figure it Out (Section 1.1) 2Figure it Out (Section 1.2) 2Figure it Out (Section 1.3) 5Section 1.4 2Figure it Out (Section 1.4) 9Figure it Out (Section 1.5) 2Figure it Out (Section 1.6) 5
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1Figure it Out (Section 1.1)2 questions
Q.1Can you think of other examples where mathematics helps us in our everyday lives?v
Solution

This is an open-ended question. A valid answer should name everyday situations where counting, measuring, comparing, estimating or calculating is used.

Answer:

Yes. Mathematics helps in shopping, cooking, reading time, measuring distance, counting money, planning travel, sharing food equally, measuring cloth, designing buildings and comparing scores in games.

Q.2How has mathematics helped propel humanity forward? (You might think of examples involving: carrying out scientific experiments; running our economy and democracy; building bridges, houses or other complex structures; making TVs, mobile phones, computers, bicycles, trains, cars, planes, calendars, clocks, etc.)v
Solution

The chapter explains that finding mathematical patterns and their explanations helps people build theories and applications. Examples include gravitation for space travel and genome patterns for diagnosing and curing diseases.

Answer:

Mathematics helps humanity by making measurement, prediction, design and planning possible. It is used in scientific experiments, engineering bridges and buildings, designing machines, creating calendars and clocks, running banks and economies, analysing election data, making computers and mobile phones, and planning transport systems such as trains, cars and planes.

2Figure it Out (Section 1.2)2 questions
Q.1Can you recognise the pattern in each of the sequences in Table 1?v
Solution

Read each sequence by comparing consecutive terms. Some grow by adding a fixed or changing amount, while powers grow by repeated multiplication.

Answer:

Yes. All 1's: every term is 1. Counting numbers: add 1 each time. Odd numbers: add 2 starting from 1. Even numbers: add 2 starting from 2. Triangular numbers: add the next counting number. Squares: $1^2,2^2,3^2,\ldots$. Cubes: $1^3,2^3,3^3,\ldots$. Virahanka numbers: each term after the first two is the sum of the previous two. Powers of 2: multiply by 2 each time. Powers of 3: multiply by 3 each time.

Q.2Rewrite each sequence of Table 1 in your notebook, along with the next three numbers in each sequence! After each sequence, write in your own words what is the rule for forming the numbers in the sequence.v
Solution

Apply the rule for each sequence. For example, triangular numbers continue by adding 8, 9 and 10 to 28; powers of 2 continue by multiplying by 2; powers of 3 continue by multiplying by 3.

Answer:

All 1's: next three are 1, 1, 1. Counting numbers: 8, 9, 10. Odd numbers: 15, 17, 19. Even numbers: 16, 18, 20. Triangular numbers: 36, 45, 55. Squares: 64, 81, 100. Cubes: 343, 512, 729. Virahanka numbers: 34, 55, 89. Powers of 2: 128, 256, 512. Powers of 3: 2187, 6561, 19683.

3Figure it Out (Section 1.3)5 questions
Q.1Copy the pictorial representations of the number sequences in Table 2 in your notebook, and draw the next picture for each sequence!v
Solution

Table 2 shows the first five pictures for each sequence. The next picture is the sixth picture in that sequence, so use the sixth term of each corresponding number sequence.

Answer:

The next pictures should show: squares with 36 dots arranged as $6 \times 6$; triangular numbers with 21 dots in 6 rows; cubes with 216 unit cubes as a $6 \times 6 \times 6$ cube; one more single dot for All 1's; 6 dots for counting numbers; 11 dots for odd numbers; and 12 dots for even numbers.

Q.2Why are 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, … called triangular numbers? Why are 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, … called square numbers or squares? Why are 1, 8, 27, 64, 125, … called cubes?v
Solution

The names come from the shapes formed by arranging dots or unit cubes.

Answer:

The numbers 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, ... are called triangular numbers because that many dots can be arranged as triangles. The numbers 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, ... are called square numbers because they can be arranged as square arrays: $1 \times 1,2 \times 2,3 \times 3,\ldots$. The numbers 1, 8, 27, 64, 125, ... are called cubes because they can be arranged as solid cubes: $1^3,2^3,3^3,4^3,5^3,\ldots$.

Q.3You will have noticed that 36 is both a triangular number and a square number! That is, 36 dots can be arranged perfectly both in a triangle and in a square. Make pictures in your notebook illustrating this!v
Solution

The square arrangement has $6^2=36$ dots. The triangular arrangement has $1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8=36$ dots.

Answer:

Draw 36 dots once as a $6 \times 6$ square and once as a triangle with 8 dots in the bottom row, then 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 dots above it.

Q.4What would you call the following sequence of numbers? 1 7 19 37 That's right, they are called hexagonal numbers! Draw these in your notebook. What is the next number in the sequence?v
Solution

The differences are $7-1=6$, $19-7=12$, and $37-19=18$. The differences increase by 6, so the next difference is 24. Therefore, the next number is $37+24=61$.

Answer:

They are hexagonal numbers. The next number is $61$.

Q.5Can you think of pictorial ways to visualise the sequence of Powers of 2? Powers of 3?v
Solution

The key idea is repeated multiplication: powers of 2 double each time and powers of 3 triple each time.

Answer:

Powers of 2 can be shown by repeatedly doubling a picture: 1 dot, 2 dots, 4 dots, 8 dots, 16 dots, and so on. Powers of 3 can be shown by repeatedly tripling: 1 dot, 3 dots, 9 dots as a $3 \times 3$ square, 27 dots or cubes, and so on.

4Section 1.42 questions
Q.ABy drawing a similar picture, can you say what is the sum of the first 10 odd numbers?v
Solution

The sum of the first $n$ odd numbers is $n^2$. For $n=10$, the sum is $10^2=100$.

Answer:

The sum of the first 10 odd numbers is $100$.

Q.BNow by imagining a similar picture, or by drawing it partially, as needed, can you say what is the sum of the first 100 odd numbers?v
Solution

The sum of the first $n$ odd numbers is $n^2$. For $n=100$, the sum is $100^2=10000$.

Answer:

The sum of the first 100 odd numbers is $10000$.

5Figure it Out (Section 1.4)9 questions
Q.1Can you find a similar pictorial explanation for why adding counting numbers up and down, i.e., 1, 1 + 2 + 1, 1 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 1, …, gives square numbers?v
Solution

For a square of side $n$, count dots row by row as $1+2+\cdots+n+\cdots+2+1$. This total is $n^2$, so the result is a square number.

Answer:

Yes. Arrange dots in a square and divide them into rows that increase up to the middle row and then decrease. For example, $1+2+3+2+1=9$ makes a $3 \times 3$ square and $1+2+3+4+3+2+1=16$ makes a $4 \times 4$ square.

Q.2By imagining a large version of your picture, or drawing it partially, as needed, can you see what will be the value of 1 + 2 + 3 + ... + 99 + 100 + 99 + ... + 3 + 2 + 1?v
Solution

The expression counts the rows of a $100 \times 100$ square: $1+2+\cdots+99+100+99+\cdots+2+1=100^2=10000$.

Answer:

The value is $10000$.

Q.3Which sequence do you get when you start to add the All 1's sequence up? What sequence do you get when you add the All 1's sequence up and down?v
Solution

The running sums are $1$, $1+1=2$, $1+1+1=3$, and so on. The up-and-down sums are $1$, $1+1+1=3$, $1+1+1+1+1=5$, and so on.

Answer:

Adding the All 1's sequence up gives the counting numbers: $1,2,3,4,5,\ldots$. Adding the All 1's sequence up and down gives odd numbers: $1,3,5,7,9,\ldots$.

Q.4Which sequence do you get when you start to add the counting numbers up? Can you give a smaller pictorial explanation?v
Solution

The sums are $1$, $1+2=3$, $1+2+3=6$, $1+2+3+4=10$, and so on. These can be drawn as triangles with rows of 1, then 2, then 3 dots, and so on.

Answer:

Adding the counting numbers gives the triangular numbers: $1,3,6,10,15,\ldots$.

Q.5What happens when you add up pairs of consecutive triangular numbers? That is, take 1 + 3, 3 + 6, 6 + 10, 10 + 15, … Which sequence do you get? Why? Can you explain it with a picture?v
Solution

The sums are $1+3=4$, $3+6=9$, $6+10=16$, $10+15=25$. Two consecutive triangular dot patterns can be fitted together to form a square.

Answer:

You get square numbers: $4,9,16,25,\ldots$.

Q.6What happens when you start to add up powers of 2 starting with 1, i.e., take 1, 1 + 2, 1 + 2 + 4, 1 + 2 + 4 + 8, … ? Now add 1 to each of these numbers — what numbers do you get? Why does this happen?v
Solution

Each partial sum of powers of 2 is one less than the next power of 2: $1=2-1$, $1+2=4-1$, $1+2+4=8-1$, and so on.

Answer:

The sums are $1,3,7,15,31,\ldots$. After adding 1 to each, we get $2,4,8,16,32,\ldots$, the powers of 2.

Q.7What happens when you multiply the triangular numbers by 6 and add 1? Which sequence do you get? Can you explain it with a picture?v
Solution

Using triangular numbers $1,3,6,10,15,\ldots$, compute $6T+1$: $6(1)+1=7$, $6(3)+1=19$, $6(6)+1=37$, $6(10)+1=61$, $6(15)+1=91$. These match the hexagonal-number pattern.

Answer:

You get $7,19,37,61,91,\ldots$, which are hexagonal numbers after the first hexagonal number 1.

Q.8What happens when you start to add up hexagonal numbers, i.e., take 1, 1 + 7, 1 + 7 + 19, 1 + 7 + 19 + 37, … ? Which sequence do you get? Can you explain it using a picture of a cube?v
Solution

The sums are $1=1^3$, $1+7=8=2^3$, $1+7+19=27=3^3$, and $1+7+19+37=64=4^3$. A cube can be built by adding hexagonal layers around the previous cube.

Answer:

You get cube numbers: $1,8,27,64,\ldots$.

Q.9Find your own patterns or relations in and among the sequences in Table 1. Can you explain why they happen with a picture or otherwise?v
Solution

The first pattern can be shown by adding L-shaped layers around a square. The second pattern can be shown by pairing dots in each counting-number group.

Answer:

One pattern is that every square number is the sum of consecutive odd numbers. For example, $16=1+3+5+7$ and $25=1+3+5+7+9$. Another pattern is that even numbers are twice the counting numbers: $2,4,6,8,\ldots=2\times1,2\times2,2\times3,2\times4,\ldots$.

6Figure it Out (Section 1.5)2 questions
Q.1Can you recognise the pattern in each of the sequences in Table 3?v
Solution

The shape sequences are formed by repeating a rule, just as number sequences are formed by repeating a numerical rule.

Answer:

Yes. Regular polygons gain one side each time. Complete graphs add one point each time and connect every pair of points. Stacked triangles grow by adding a larger triangular layer. Stacked squares grow by adding a larger square layer. Koch snowflakes replace every line segment by a smaller speed-bump pattern at each step.

Q.2Try and redraw each sequence in Table 3 in your notebook. Can you draw the next shape in each sequence? Why or why not? After each sequence, describe in your own words what is the rule or pattern for forming the shapes in the sequence.v
Solution

Each sequence has a repeatable rule. Some next shapes are easy to draw exactly, while shapes such as the Koch snowflake become difficult because the segments get very small.

Answer:

The next regular polygon is an 11-sided regular polygon. The next complete graph is $K_7$. The next stacked triangle and stacked square add the next larger layer. The next Koch snowflake is made by replacing every line segment of the previous shape with the same smaller speed-bump pattern. These are possible to draw, though the Koch snowflake becomes increasingly detailed.

7Figure it Out (Section 1.6)5 questions
Q.1Count the number of sides in each shape in the sequence of Regular Polygons. Which number sequence do you get? What about the number of corners in each shape in the sequence of Regular Polygons? Do you get the same number sequence? Can you explain why this happens?v
Solution

A polygon has one corner where each pair of adjacent sides meets. Therefore, in every polygon, the number of sides equals the number of corners.

Answer:

The number of sides is $3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,\ldots$. The number of corners is also $3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,\ldots$.

Q.2Count the number of lines in each shape in the sequence of Complete Graphs. Which number sequence do you get? Can you explain why?v
Solution

In a complete graph, every pair of points is joined by a line. As points are added, the number of new lines added is $1,2,3,4,\ldots$, so the totals are triangular numbers.

Answer:

The number of lines is $1,3,6,10,15,\ldots$, the triangular-number sequence.

Q.3How many little squares are there in each shape of the sequence of Stacked Squares? Which number sequence does this give? Can you explain why?v
Solution

Each stacked square is an $n \times n$ arrangement of little squares, so the number of little squares is $n^2$.

Answer:

The numbers are $1,4,9,16,25,\ldots$, the square-number sequence.

Q.4How many little triangles are there in each shape of the sequence of Stacked Triangles? Which number sequence does this give? Can you explain why? (Hint: In each shape in the sequence, how many triangles are there in each row?)v
Solution

The rows in the stacked triangles can be counted as $1$, then $1+2+1=4$, then $1+2+3+2+1=9$, and so on. These up-and-down sums give square numbers.

Answer:

The numbers are $1,4,9,16,25,\ldots$, the square-number sequence.

Q.5To get from one shape to the next shape in the Koch Snowflake sequence, one replaces each line segment­ '—' by a 'speed bump' . As one does this more and more times, the changes become tinier and tinier with very very small line segments. How many total line segments are there in each shape of the Koch Snowflake? What is the corresponding number sequence? (The answer is 3, 12, 48, ..., i.e., 3 times Powers of 4; this sequence is not shown in Table 1.)v
Solution

The first shape has 3 line segments. At each step, every line segment is replaced by 4 smaller line segments, so the number is multiplied by 4 each time. Thus the sequence is $3,3\times4,3\times4^2,3\times4^3,\ldots$.

Answer:

The total numbers of line segments are $3,12,48,192,768,\ldots$.