Definition
Pattern
A pattern is an arrangement or change that follows a rule you can describe.
What it means
Look for what stays the same and what changes. The rule might repeat a block, add the same amount, grow in a new way, or connect one value to another. Saying the rule matters more than merely guessing what comes next.
Remember it
A pattern has a rule behind it: spot the rule, then test it.
Example
The numbers 6, 10, 14, 18 follow the rule “start at 6 and add 4 each time.” Applying the same rule gives 22 next.
Watch for
Seeing only a few items does not prove a rule. A proposed pattern rule must fit every item that has been given.
Common mix-up
A pattern does not have to repeat. It can grow or show a relationship between values.
Exact meaning
A pattern is a regular arrangement or change in numbers, shapes, actions, or data that follows a rule.