An AB pattern goes: circle, square, circle, square, circle. What comes next?
Acircle
Bsquare
Ctriangle
Dthe pattern is finished
In an AB pattern, A and B alternate perfectly: after every A comes a B, and after every B comes an A. The sequence ends on circle (A), so square (B) must come next. Triangle is wrong because AB patterns contain exactly two elements — no new element can appear. The pattern is not 'finished' — repeating patterns continue indefinitely.
Question 2 Multiple Choice
A child says: 'Red, blue, red, blue is NOT a pattern because the colors keep changing.' What is wrong with that thinking?
AThey are right — a real pattern never changes at all
BThe colors do change, but they change in a predictable, repeating way — that is exactly what makes it a pattern
CIt is only a pattern if there are more than six items
DColors cannot form patterns — only shapes can
A pattern does not mean 'stays the same' — it means 'changes in a predictable, repeating way.' The child is confusing 'no change' with 'pattern.' Red-blue-red-blue changes every step, but it changes by following a rule: always alternate. That predictable rule is the pattern. If you know the current element, you can always predict the next one — that is the test of a real pattern.
Question 3 True / False
In any AB pattern, if you know the current element, you can always predict the next one.
TTrue
FFalse
Answer: True
This is the whole point of recognizing the core unit. In an AB pattern, the rule is simple: A is always followed by B, and B is always followed by A. Knowing where you are in the pattern is enough to predict every future element — no guessing needed. That predictive power is why patterns are useful.
Question 4 True / False
The core unit of an AB pattern contains three different elements.
TTrue
FFalse
Answer: False
The core unit of an AB pattern contains exactly two elements: one A and one B. 'AB' itself tells you this — two letters, two elements. A pattern with three elements in its core unit (like A-B-C, A-B-C) is an ABC pattern, which is more complex. If a child thinks the core unit has three parts, they have not yet identified the repeating piece correctly.
Question 5 Short Answer
What is the 'core unit' of an AB pattern, and how does knowing it help you predict what comes next?
Think about your answer, then reveal below.
Model answer: The core unit is the smallest piece that repeats — in an AB pattern, it is one A followed by one B. Every element in the pattern is just another copy of that pair. Once you identify the core unit, you can predict any element: after A always comes B, and after B always comes A.
The core unit is the key to all pattern work. Instead of memorizing the whole sequence, you only need to remember two rules: A follows B, and B follows A. This is what separates a child who truly understands patterns from one who can only copy them — understanding the core unit means you could extend the pattern forever, even without seeing the rest of it.