Time-travel maths quest: patterns

Quick answer

Patterns in time travel help us predict what comes next in a sequence, whether it's the hours on a clock, the days of the week, or the numbers in a calendar. By understanding how patterns repeat and grow, you can solve puzzles, make predictions, and even travel through time!

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will be able to find, continue, and create repeating and growing patterns using clocks, calendars, and ancient numbers.

• You can spot patterns in the hours on a clock.
• You can predict what comes next in a calendar pattern.
• You can create your own time-based pattern using numbers or shapes.
• You can explain how patterns help us understand time and make predictions.

Why this matters

Patterns help us understand time in many ways. When you look at a clock, you see a repeating pattern of hours. When you count the days of the week, you notice a pattern that repeats every seven days. In ancient times, people used patterns to track time and seasons. Patterns help you solve puzzles, make predictions, and even imagine time travel!

How it works

Patterns are repeated sequences that follow a rule. In time travel maths, patterns can be:

1. Repeating patterns – like 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3…
2. Growing patterns – like 1, 2, 4, 8, 16… (each number doubles)
3. Time-based patterns – like days of the week or months of the year

When you see a pattern, ask yourself:

• What comes next?
• What is the rule?
• How does it repeat?

Examples you can see

Let’s look at some real examples of patterns in time.

Clock Patterns

On a clock, the numbers go 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and then back to 1. This is a repeating pattern.

Try this: What comes after 9 on the clock? 10

What comes after 12? 1

Weekday Patterns

The days of the week follow a pattern: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and then back to Monday.

Try this: If today is Wednesday, what day will it be in 5 days? Monday

Calendar Patterns

Look at a calendar. Each month has a pattern of days. For example, the pattern of months in a year is:

January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.

What comes after December? January

Time Travel Patterns

Imagine you are a time traveler and you find a pattern in ancient numbers:

1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64…

Each number doubles. This is a growing pattern.

What comes next in this pattern? 128

Try it as a mini adventure

Time-Travel Pattern Quest

You are a time traveler who has landed in a magical land where time moves in patterns. You need to solve puzzles to find the next number in each sequence. Your mission is to help the time-keepers by completing the pattern.

Step 1: Clock Pattern Puzzle

On the magical clock, you see these numbers:

3, 6, 9, 12, ?

What number comes next? 15

Step 2: Weekday Pattern Puzzle

The days of the week in this land follow this pattern:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday, ?

What day comes next? Wednesday

Step 3: Calendar Pattern Puzzle

The months of the year in this land are:

January, March, May, July, ?

What month comes next? September

Step 4: Ancient Number Pattern

These numbers were found on a time scroll:

1, 3, 9, 27, ?

What number comes next? 81

Step 5: Create Your Own Pattern

Make a pattern using the numbers 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. What comes next? 12

Common mistakes

• Mistake: Thinking that the pattern 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 repeats after 10.
• Why it happens: Confusing a growing pattern with a repeating one.
• Fix: Remember that a repeating pattern goes back to the start, like 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3…
• Mistake: Counting the days of the week incorrectly.
• Why it happens: Not knowing the order of the days.
• Fix: Learn the order: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
• Mistake: Not understanding that 12 comes after 11 on a clock.
• Why it happens: Thinking clocks count like numbers.
• Fix: Remember that clocks go 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, then back to 1.

Parent and carer guide

Help your child understand patterns in time by:

• Playing pattern games with clocks and calendars.
• Using everyday time examples like the days of the week or months of the year.
• Encouraging them to make their own patterns using shapes, numbers, or objects.
• Practicing counting forward and backward through time-based patterns.
• Noticing patterns in their daily routines, like bedtime, breakfast, lunch, and dinner times.

Ask questions like:

• What comes after Monday?
• What number comes next in this pattern?
• Can you make a pattern with your toys?

Remember: Patterns are about seeing rules and repetition. Don’t worry if your child makes a mistake – it’s part of learning!

Practice questions

1. What comes after 7 in the pattern 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9?
2. What day comes after Sunday in the week pattern?
3. What number comes next in the pattern 2, 4, 6, 8, 10?
4. What month comes after August in the year pattern?
5. What number comes next in the pattern 1, 4, 9, 16, 25?

• Answer 1: 8
• Answer 2: Monday
• Answer 3: 12
• Answer 4: September
• Answer 5: 36

FAQ

What is a pattern in maths?

A pattern is a repeated sequence of numbers, shapes, or events that follow a rule. For example, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 is a repeating pattern.

How do patterns help us with time?

Patterns help us predict what comes next in time. For example, if we know the days of the week, we can predict what day it will be in 5 days.

Can patterns be in numbers or shapes?

Yes! Patterns can be in numbers, shapes, colours, or even actions. For example, a pattern of red, blue, green, red, blue, green is a shape pattern.

What is a growing pattern?

A growing pattern is one where each number gets bigger by the same amount. For example, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 is a growing pattern where each number increases by 2.

Why do we learn about patterns in time?

Learning about patterns helps us understand time better, solve puzzles, and make predictions. It also helps us in real life, like knowing when to do things or how long something will take.