P1–P4 Number Patterns & Missing Terms

Level	Curriculum context	First useful questions
P1	Whole numbers to 100; patterns in number sequences	What changes between 2, 4, 6 and 8? Can the child show the rule with counters?
P2	Whole numbers to 1,000; odd/even and number patterns	Can the child identify even numbers and a pattern adding tens or hundreds?
P3	Whole numbers to 10,000; multiplication/division facts and number patterns	Can the child identify a constant difference, repeated multiple or simple patterned grouping?
P4	Whole numbers to 100,000; factors/multiples, rounding and number patterns	Can the child explain a pattern with larger place values and verify a missing interior term?
P5 Foundation	Number patterns revisited in its specified whole-number outcomes	Can the learner build from familiar repeated changes to independent reasoning?

This is an overview of the relevant number-pattern outcomes, not a replacement for the detailed MOE table. The student may encounter patterns in other topics such as multiplication, shapes or measurement, but the stated year-level number range and conceptual demands remain relevant. A P2 learner should not be judged by whether they know formal geometric-sequence notation.

The progression helps to explain why an error on a P6 mixed question may have a much earlier origin. A student unable to see that a sequence adds three each step may struggle with a more complex graph or ratio pattern. Target the missing relationship first, then return to the upper-primary application.

2. First ask what changes, not what comes next

Take 7, 12, 17 and 22. The differences are 5, 5 and 5. A simple additive explanation is ‘add five each time’. Once the rule is stated, 27 follows naturally. If the learner writes 27 without being able to explain the differences, ask for another term or a term before the first, such as 2, to check whether the rule is understood.

Now take 3, 6, 12 and 24. The consecutive differences are 3, 6 and 12, so a fixed-addition rule does not fit. Each term is twice the previous term. The next is 48. Ask the child to verify 6 = 2 × 3, 12 = 2 × 6 and 24 = 2 × 12. A rule should account for the whole sequence, not only its last transition.

Some patterns combine two familiar actions. For instance, 4, 7, 11, 16 and 22 increases by 3, 4, 5 and 6. A reasonable intended continuation under the rule ‘add the next consecutive whole number’ is 29. However, from only five displayed numbers and no other instruction, more than one mathematical pattern can be constructed. The reasoned response should explain the chosen simple rule rather than claim it is the only imaginable possibility.

3. Additive patterns: increasing and decreasing

An increasing additive pattern has a fixed positive difference. The sequence 25, 35, 45, 55 adds ten each time. A decreasing additive pattern has a fixed negative change: 91, 84, 77, 70 subtracts seven each time. Both can be visualised as jumps on a number line, which makes the size and direction of each step visible.

For missing interior terms, work from both neighbours. In 16, __, 26, 31, the visible jump from 26 to 31 is five. The missing term should be 21 because 16 + 5 = 21 and 21 + 5 = 26. The second check matters: a guessed term that agrees with only one side does not establish the rule.

When the step crosses a hundred or thousand boundary, place value still governs the arithmetic. The pattern 980, 990, 1,000, 1,010 adds ten each time. The increase from 990 to 1,000 is not one ten with a written zero accidentally added; it is an actual exchange into the thousands place. A child with weak regrouping might need a number line to see it.

4. Multiplicative patterns: repeated scaling

The sequence 2, 4, 8, 16 multiplies by two. A sequence 81, 27, 9, 3 divides by three. These are multiplicative relationships because the factor stays the same even though the absolute difference changes. A child should identify the operation and factor rather than subtract consecutive values and conclude the sequence is irregular.

A pupil who sees 5, 10, 20 and 40 should know that adding five cannot explain every step: the jumps are 5, 10 and 20. The consistent rule is multiplying by two. Ask the child to apply both proposals to the third step. Incorrect rules often fail as soon as all terms are considered.

For values that are not whole-number results of a division, ensure the level and question allow such terms before assigning exercises. The P1–P4 whole-number sequence outcomes centre on age-appropriate whole numbers. An advanced recurring-decimal sequence may be interesting enrichment, not an automatic compulsory P2 exercise.

5. Odd and even patterns: more than naming a digit

An even whole number can be divided into two equal whole-number groups. The sequence 2, 4, 6, 8 is an additive pattern with step two and contains only even terms. The sequence 1, 3, 5, 7 is its odd counterpart. P2 explicitly covers odd and even numbers, so this is an opportunity to link number properties with patterns.

Adding an even number to an even number gives an even result. Adding an odd number to an odd number also gives an even result because the two unmatched ‘one more’ objects form a pair. Adding an even and an odd number gives an odd result. These facts can be demonstrated using counters arranged in pairs, instead of reciting unsupported slogans.

The final-digit test supports larger numbers. A positive whole number ending in 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8 is even. Thus 12,408 is even, while 12,409 is odd. The last digit is sufficient because all contributions from tens, hundreds and higher places are themselves even; only the ones place can make the overall number odd.

6. Repeated cycles and alternating rules

A pattern can alternate between two operations or repeat a cycle. Consider 3, 6, 5, 10, 9, 18. One suggested rule is multiply by two, then subtract one, repeatedly. The sequence of operations is ×2, −1, ×2, −1, ×2, so the next would be 17. The learner should name the repeating pair of operations before extending the list.

A colour or shape sequence may cycle through three symbols: circle, triangle, square, circle, triangle, square. At position seven, the first symbol returns. The mathematical structure is a cycle of length three, although visual features rather than numbers carry the pattern. At lower primary, children can use coloured counters and repeat blocks to make the rule visible.

Do not confuse a repeated cycle with an increase in size. A pattern that alternates 4, 7, 4, 7 never becomes 10 merely because seven was the previous large number. When the child is unsure, ask which term shares the same position inside the repeat block, then test more than one full cycle.

7. Patterns in diagrams, tables and everyday life

A stair-step arrangement of square tiles can grow by adding one tile to each new stage. If Stage 1 contains 1 tile, Stage 2 contains 3, Stage 3 contains 6 and Stage 4 contains 10, the differences are 2, 3 and 4. Under the stated staircase rule, Stage 5 contains 15. A child can build these with paper squares and explain where the new row enters.

Pattern reasoning is useful in regular schedules, repeating chores or inventory counts. If a hypothetical timetable departs every ten minutes after 3:00 pm, the first few stated times are 3:00, 3:10, 3:20 and 3:30. The next is 3:40 under the assumed perfect repeating rule. Real public transport may not operate at such exact fixed intervals, so do not present a classroom pattern as a live departure schedule.

A table can organise a stage number alongside a quantity. For a pattern adding four pieces each stage, with Stage 1 containing five, the counts are 5, 9, 13 and 17. The table makes it easier to avoid confusing the number of stages with the number of changes. From Stage 1 to Stage 4 there are three increases, not four.

8. Twenty-eight original worked pattern examples

Worked example 1: P1 count by two

Question: 2, 4, 6, 8, __.

Answer: 10.

Reason: Add two each time.

Check: Differences are consistently two. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 2: P1 count backward

Question: 20, 18, 16, 14, __.

Answer: 12.

Reason: Subtract two.

Check: 14−2=12. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 3: P1 tens pattern

Question: 10, 20, 30, __, 50.

Answer: 40.

Reason: Add one ten at every step.

Check: 30+10=40 and 40+10=50. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 4: P1 missing interior

Question: 5, 8, __, 14.

Answer: 11.

Reason: Each step adds three.

Check: 8+3=11 and 11+3=14. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 5: P2 hundreds

Question: 100, 200, 300, __.

Answer: 400.

Reason: Add one hundred.

Check: 300+100=400. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 6: P2 even number

Question: Is 126 even or odd?

Answer: Even.

Reason: The number ends in six and can form pairs.

Check: 126÷2=63 exactly. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 7: P2 odd numbers

Question: 11, 13, 15, __, 19.

Answer: 17.

Reason: Add two each time and remain odd.

Check: 17 is between 15 and 19. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 8: P2 alternate parity

Question: If 18 is even, is 18+7 even or odd?

Answer: Odd, 25.

Reason: Even plus odd gives odd.

Check: 25÷2 leaves one. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 9: P2 step five

Question: 215, 220, 225, __, 235.

Answer: 230.

Reason: Add five at each step.

Check: 225+5=230 and 230+5=235. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 10: P2 crossing hundred

Question: 980, 990, __, 1,010.

Answer: 1,000.

Reason: Add ten each time.

Check: 990+10=1,000. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 11: P3 add 25

Question: 325, 350, 375, __.

Answer: 400.

Reason: Constant difference twenty-five.

Check: 375+25=400. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 12: P3 subtract 75

Question: 900, 825, 750, __.

Answer: 675.

Reason: Subtract seventy-five each time.

Check: 750−75=675. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 13: P3 double

Question: 3, 6, 12, 24, __.

Answer: 48.

Reason: Multiply each term by two.

Check: 24×2=48. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 14: P3 triple

Question: 2, 6, 18, __.

Answer: 54.

Reason: Multiply by three.

Check: 18×3=54. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 15: P3 divide three

Question: 81, 27, 9, __.

Answer: 3.

Reason: Divide by three each step.

Check: 9÷3=3. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 16: P3 missing middle

Question: 7, 14, __, 56.

Answer: 28.

Reason: Double every term.

Check: 14×2=28 and 28×2=56. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 17: P3 repeated add

Question: 14, 21, 28, 35, __.

Answer: 42.

Reason: Add seven each time.

Check: All terms are multiples of seven. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 18: P3 division remainders

Question: Starting from 29, subtract four repeatedly. List next three non-negative terms.

Answer: 25, 21, 17.

Reason: Constant decrease four.

Check: Each step removes four. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 19: P4 add hundreds

Question: 12,300, 12,700, 13,100, __.

Answer: 13,500.

Reason: Add four hundred.

Check: 13,100+400=13,500. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 20: P4 subtract thousands

Question: 50,000, 47,000, 44,000, __.

Answer: 41,000.

Reason: Subtract three thousand.

Check: 44,000−3,000=41,000. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 21: P4 alternating operations

Question: 3, 6, 5, 10, 9, 18, __.

Answer: 17.

Reason: ×2 then −1 repeatedly.

Check: After ×2 from nine to eighteen, next is −1. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 22: P4 growing increments

Question: 4, 7, 11, 16, 22, __ under rule add 3, 4, 5, 6, …

Answer: 29.

Reason: Next difference is seven.

Check: 22+7=29. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 23: P4 growing even increments

Question: 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, __; successive differences increase by two.

Answer: 42.

Reason: Differences 4, 6, 8, 10, then 12.

Check: 30+12=42. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 24: P4 powers by repeated doubling

Question: 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, __.

Answer: 160.

Reason: Multiply by two; no powers notation needed.

Check: 80×2=160. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 25: P4 table stage

Question: Stage 1 has five tiles; each new stage adds four. Find Stage 4.

Answer: 17 tiles.

Reason: There are three increases from Stage 1 to Stage 4.

Check: 5+3×4=17. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 26: P4 find earlier term

Question: An arithmetic pattern adds six each step. Stage 4 is 29. Find Stage 1.

Answer: 11.

Reason: Work backwards three times: 29−6−6−6=11.

Check: 11,17,23,29. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 27: P4 cycle of three

Question: A pattern repeats A, B, C. What is item 10?

Answer: A.

Reason: Positions 1,4,7,10 have the same position within the three-item cycle.

Check: Ten leaves remainder one when grouped into threes. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

Worked example 28: Pattern with insufficient information

Question: Given just 1, 2, 4, what is the unique next term without a stated rule?

Answer: There is no uniquely determined mathematical next term.

Reason: Doubling suggests 8, but other rules can fit the three numbers.

Check: State an explicit intended rule before claiming a necessary next term. Ask for the term before or after a known one as a transfer test.

9. How to distinguish a genuine rule from a lucky guess

A student might see 2, 4, 6 and write 8 based on a familiar even-number pattern. That is a reasonable intended rule in a primary exercise, but it is still necessary to explain that each term adds two. A second plausible mathematical construction can be made to agree with three or four stated terms and then diverge later. This is why a clear question includes the intended pattern context or expects a simple consistent rule.

Ask the child to list the operation from the first term to the second, from second to third and from third to fourth. If the operation changes, can those operations themselves follow a simple pattern? This second layer of observation is more useful than just looking for whichever next number ‘looks nice’.

Sometimes the simplest intended rule is an arithmetic progression, while a visual diagram has a special construction. In those cases, the diagram controls what grows. A sequence of tile totals cannot be solved from an invented numerical rule if the figure’s stated construction makes another rule necessary. Use the actual mathematical situation, not arbitrary pattern fitting.

10. Twelve frequent mistakes and clear repairs

Mistake 1: Guessing from just the final term

Compare all successive terms and state the repeated relationship.

The repair is one example in which the rule is visible, followed by a changed sequence or diagram. The pupil must describe the change at each step before calculating.

Mistake 2: Assuming every pattern adds a fixed amount

Inspect differences; if they change, test multiplication or changes in the differences.

The repair is one example in which the rule is visible, followed by a changed sequence or diagram. The pupil must describe the change at each step before calculating.

Mistake 3: Confusing increasing and decreasing sequences

Mark arrows and positive or negative change on a number line.

The repair is one example in which the rule is visible, followed by a changed sequence or diagram. The pupil must describe the change at each step before calculating.

Mistake 4: Skipping the middle verification

For an interior missing term, check its relation to both preceding and following entries.

The repair is one example in which the rule is visible, followed by a changed sequence or diagram. The pupil must describe the change at each step before calculating.

Mistake 5: Using incorrect multiplication facts

A sequence may be understood correctly but calculated wrongly. Repair the relevant times table separately.

The repair is one example in which the rule is visible, followed by a changed sequence or diagram. The pupil must describe the change at each step before calculating.

Mistake 6: Failing across a place-value boundary

A pattern adding ten through 990 to 1,000 requires regrouping; use expanded forms if needed.

The repair is one example in which the rule is visible, followed by a changed sequence or diagram. The pupil must describe the change at each step before calculating.

Mistake 7: Confusing an odd/even label with magnitude

Evenness describes grouping into pairs, not whether the numeral is large or small.

The repair is one example in which the rule is visible, followed by a changed sequence or diagram. The pupil must describe the change at each step before calculating.

Mistake 8: Treating a repeated cycle as continuing increase

Identify the length of the repeat block and locate the term’s position within that cycle.

The repair is one example in which the rule is visible, followed by a changed sequence or diagram. The pupil must describe the change at each step before calculating.

Mistake 9: Adding one increment too many for a stage

There are three transitions from Stage 1 to Stage 4. Distinguish stages from gaps.

The repair is one example in which the rule is visible, followed by a changed sequence or diagram. The pupil must describe the change at each step before calculating.

Mistake 10: Extending a pattern beyond the appropriate number range

Follow the student’s level and school scope rather than assigning advanced symbolic sequences as compulsory.

The repair is one example in which the rule is visible, followed by a changed sequence or diagram. The pupil must describe the change at each step before calculating.

Mistake 11: Inventing a rule without checking the context

Use the actual shape construction or instruction when given.

The repair is one example in which the rule is visible, followed by a changed sequence or diagram. The pupil must describe the change at each step before calculating.

Mistake 12: Claiming one unique next term from an ambiguous finite list

Explain the intended simple rule and recognise that an unstated pattern might not be mathematically unique.

The repair is one example in which the rule is visible, followed by a changed sequence or diagram. The pupil must describe the change at each step before calculating.

11. Twelve independent practice questions

Practice 1

4, 8, 12, __, 20.

Practice 2

31, 28, 25, __, 19.

Practice 3

100, 200, 300, __, 500.

Practice 4

7, 14, 28, __.

Practice 5

96, 48, 24, __.

Practice 6

11, 16, __, 26, 31.

Practice 7

2, 5, 9, 14, 20, __ under increasing consecutive increments.

Practice 8

3, 6, 5, 10, 9, 18, __ under ×2 then −1.

Practice 9

1, 3, 5, 7: state a rule.

Practice 10

5, 9, 13, 17: what is term six, assuming same step?

Practice 11

If Stage 1 has 8 tiles and each new stage adds 5, how many at Stage 5?

Practice 12

A pattern A, B, C repeats. What is position 14?

Answer key

1. 16. Say the rule and check every consecutive step. In stage or cycle questions, identify how many transitions have occurred.

2. 22. Say the rule and check every consecutive step. In stage or cycle questions, identify how many transitions have occurred.

3. 400. Say the rule and check every consecutive step. In stage or cycle questions, identify how many transitions have occurred.

4. 56. Say the rule and check every consecutive step. In stage or cycle questions, identify how many transitions have occurred.

5. 12. Say the rule and check every consecutive step. In stage or cycle questions, identify how many transitions have occurred.

6. 21. Say the rule and check every consecutive step. In stage or cycle questions, identify how many transitions have occurred.

7. 27. Say the rule and check every consecutive step. In stage or cycle questions, identify how many transitions have occurred.

8. 17. Say the rule and check every consecutive step. In stage or cycle questions, identify how many transitions have occurred.

9. Start at one and add two each step. Say the rule and check every consecutive step. In stage or cycle questions, identify how many transitions have occurred.

10. 25. Say the rule and check every consecutive step. In stage or cycle questions, identify how many transitions have occurred.

11. 28 tiles. Say the rule and check every consecutive step. In stage or cycle questions, identify how many transitions have occurred.

12. B. Say the rule and check every consecutive step. In stage or cycle questions, identify how many transitions have occurred.

12. Four-week home learning programme

Week one — numbers as jumps

Use counters or a number line to build sequences that add one, two, five or ten, then reverse them. Let the child physically show each change.

Evidence of progress is independent recognition of the relationship, not just copying a familiar final numeral. Retest new numbers after a short delay.

Week two — groups and times tables

Connect multiplication facts to repeated scaling and multiples. Contrast ‘add five’ with ‘multiply by two’ by testing all given terms.

Evidence of progress is independent recognition of the relationship, not just copying a familiar final numeral. Retest new numbers after a short delay.

Week three — missing terms and stages

Hide an interior term in a sequence and verify both sides. Build a staircase tile pattern and count the number of increases between stages.

Evidence of progress is independent recognition of the relationship, not just copying a familiar final numeral. Retest new numbers after a short delay.

Week four — mixed rules and checking

Present additive, multiplicative and simple alternating patterns without chapter labels. Ask for a stated rule, a next term and an explanation that covers all given terms.

Evidence of progress is independent recognition of the relationship, not just copying a familiar final numeral. Retest new numbers after a short delay.

13. Why number patterns matter outside school

Repeated numerical relationships help us understand timetables, inventory, savings plans and construction patterns. If a family saves an extra $10 each week under a hypothetical plan, the cumulative balance changes by a fixed amount each week, assuming no spending or interest. Recognising the difference between fixed additions and percentage growth prevents an incorrect forecast.

Patterns in nature and art can inspire mathematical questions. Yet students should be careful when assuming every visible regularity continues forever. A few observations may support a proposed pattern but do not always prove it is the only possible rule. In Science, a trend may change when conditions change. In everyday planning, prices or schedules may not continue in a perfect series.

At higher levels, formal algebra can express a general stage rule. At primary level, number lines, tables, pictures and clear verbal explanations are powerful enough for most age-appropriate work. A child who learns to test a relationship can later make the transition to letters with better understanding.

14. Frequently asked questions

When are number patterns taught in the MOE Primary Mathematics syllabus?

The updated October 2025 P1, P2, P3 and P4 whole-number sections explicitly list patterns in number sequences. P5 Foundation revisits them.

Are odd and even numbers taught in P2?

Yes. The P2 whole-number section includes odd and even numbers.

How do I find the missing term?

Identify a consistent rule and check the unknown against both neighbouring terms where possible.

Do all number patterns add the same amount?

No. Some multiply or divide by a factor, repeat a cycle or use changing differences.

Can two different rules fit the same numbers?

Yes. A finite list may not determine one mathematically unique continuation unless the intended rule or context is specified.

Is an nth-term algebra formula required in P1?

No. The formal P1 outcome concerns age-appropriate patterns in whole numbers, not advanced symbolic sequence formulae.

What is an additive pattern?

Each term differs from the preceding one by a fixed added or subtracted amount.

What is a multiplicative pattern?

Each term comes from multiplying or dividing the preceding one by a fixed factor.

What is an alternating pattern?

It cycles between two operations or forms, such as multiply by two then subtract one.

Why does a pupil add one step too many?

They may count stages rather than transitions. From Stage 1 to Stage 4 there are three increases.

Can a child use patterns to check times tables?

Yes. Multiples and skip-counting can reinforce multiplication facts when the child explains the relationship.

Are all sequence puzzles from Olympiad books compulsory PSLE content?

No. Follow the actual year-level learning outcome and label more advanced generalisation as enrichment.

Will PSLE 2027 definitely ask a specific sequence?

No. The syllabus states skills, not exact future examination questions.

How do parents diagnose weak pattern reasoning?

Ask the pupil to describe differences or factors for every step and test the rule on a changed sequence.

15. Official sources and related eduKate Mathematics guides

Source check: 13 November 2026. All number sequences and scenarios above are original teaching examples. They are not reconstructed past PSLE questions or predictions of a specific 2027 paper. For subject scope, defer to the current MOE curriculum and the pupil’s school notices.

One helpful action tonight is to write 7, 12, 17 and 22 on a sheet of paper. Ask your child to find the next number, name the rule, explain how the rule also works backwards, then create a new pattern for you to solve. Explaining a rule is more useful than guessing a term.

To discuss Primary Mathematics small-group teaching, contact eduKate Singapore or message eduKateSG. We teach mathematical structure and independent checking rather than memorised answers.

Quick answer: To solve a Primary Mathematics number pattern, first compare consecutive terms. Ask whether the sequence increases or decreases by the same amount, repeats a fixed cycle or follows another clear relationship. The sequence 8, 13, 18, 23, … adds five each step, so the next term is 28. The sequence 40, 35, 30, 25, … subtracts five, so the next term is 20. A child should explain the repeated relationship rather than guess from the last two digits.

The 2021 MOE Primary One to Six Mathematics syllabus, updated October 2025, explicitly includes patterns in whole-number sequences from P1 through P4, as number ranges grow from 100 to 100,000. P2 adds odd and even number understanding. P5 Foundation revisits number patterns and earlier whole-number skills. These official outcomes do not mean every P1 pupil must derive a formal algebraic nth-term formula: that is a higher-level representation and should not be presented as a guaranteed PSLE 2027 item.

How to use this guide: Start at the appropriate year, discover how a pattern is constructed, work through 28 original examples, test whether a rule actually fits every term and complete the self-test. Parents and tutors can use the error checklist to distinguish weak multiplication facts from a genuine difficulty recognising relationships.

P1: identify simple whole-number patterns within the P1 number range.
P2: find sequences within 1,000 and recognise odd/even relationships.
P3: extend number patterns within 10,000, including reasoning using multiplication and division facts.
P4: identify sequences within 100,000 as place value and number relationships become more sophisticated.
P5 Foundation: revisit sequences and earlier whole-number skills with the route-specific curriculum.
Check differences between neighbouring terms before assuming a pattern uses multiplication.
If differences vary, test whether they follow another simple rule rather than guessing.
The missing term may be in the middle, so check the rule both before and after it.
A cycle may repeat after two or three terms; ‘always add the same amount’ will not explain every valid pattern.
Several mathematical rules can fit a short list of numbers; when a question states a rule, follow it, and avoid claiming an unstated unique mathematical explanation.
An accurate sequence answer includes a reason and a verification against all given terms.

MOE official Primary Mathematics syllabus, updated October 2025 — whole-number sequences on pp.31, 33, 35, 37 and P5 Foundation p.45 · SEAB: PSLE format directory from 2026 · eduKateSG: number bonds and place value.

1. The Primary 1–4 progression for number patterns

Level	Curriculum context	First useful questions
P1	Whole numbers to 100; patterns in number sequences	What changes between 2, 4, 6 and 8? Can the child show the rule with counters?
P2	Whole numbers to 1,000; odd/even and number patterns	Can the child identify even numbers and a pattern adding tens or hundreds?
P3	Whole numbers to 10,000; multiplication/division facts and number patterns	Can the child identify a constant difference, repeated multiple or simple patterned grouping?
P4	Whole numbers to 100,000; factors/multiples, rounding and number patterns	Can the child explain a pattern with larger place values and verify a missing interior term?
P5 Foundation	Number patterns revisited in its specified whole-number outcomes	Can the learner build from familiar repeated changes to independent reasoning?