Patterns Around Us
Class 4 · Mathematics
4 ideas in Class 4 Mathematics, explained in plain words, with games and quizzes to practise.
Counting Objects in Equal Groups
Part of: Counting in Groups
Instead of counting one by one, we can count in equal groups. Four plates with 3 biscuits each hold 3 + 3 + 3 + 3, which is 12 biscuits.
Why it matters. Counting in groups is quicker and builds the base for multiplication. Without it, children count slowly and lose track in bigger collections.
Try it in two minutes
- Put 5 small bowls on a table and place 4 beans in each.
- Ask: how many beans are there in all? Let your child count in any way they like.
- Show the quick way: count in fours, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20.
- Ask: if we add one more bowl, how many beans will there be?
Try at home. Look at an egg tray or a window with panes and find the total by counting rows and groups.
Making Amounts with Coins and Notes
Part of: Patterns with Money
Money can be counted by grouping. Two ₹ 10 notes and three ₹ 5 coins make 20 and then 15 more, which is ₹ 35.
Why it matters. Everyday buying and saving needs quick counting of coins and notes. Without it, children find shopping sums hard.
Try it in two minutes
- Take play money or buttons as ₹ 1, ₹ 2, ₹ 5 and ₹ 10 pieces.
- Lay out a pattern, for example ₹ 5, ₹ 2, ₹ 5, ₹ 2.
- Ask your child to find the total by grouping the same kinds together.
- Now ask them to show ₹ 27 in a different way.
Try at home. Let your child count the coins in a piggy bank by sorting them into groups first.
Even and Odd Numbers
Part of: Even and Odd Numbers
If you can put objects into pairs with none left, the number is even, like 8. If one is left over, it is odd, like 9.
Why it matters. Even and odd help children see how numbers behave and make sharing and pairing easy to plan.
Try it in two minutes
- Take 10 spoons and make pairs. Is anything left?
- Remove one spoon and pair again. Now what is left?
- Say: 10 is even and 9 is odd. Try 6, 7, 12 and 15.
- Ask your child to guess before pairing.
Try at home. Ask your child to find whether the number of family shoes, socks or cups today is even or odd.
Patterns in Even and Odd Numbers
Part of: Even and Odd Numbers
When we count, numbers go odd, even, odd, even. The number before and after an odd number are both even, and the same is true the other way round.
Why it matters. Spotting patterns makes children faster at checking numbers and gets them thinking like mathematicians.
Try it in two minutes
- Write the numbers 1 to 20 on paper strips.
- Ask your child to circle odd ones and underline even ones.
- Ask: what do you notice about the order?
- Pick any number and ask if its neighbours are odd or even.
Try at home. Look at house numbers on one side of your street and see what pattern you find.
What your child will practise
- Counting Objects in Equal Groups: Treasure Quest (Collect the Answer)
- Even and Odd Numbers: Space Sort (Sort It Out)
- Making Amounts with Coins and Notes: Candy Quick Fire (Quick Fire)
- Making Amounts with Coins and Notes: Desert Build (Build It)
- Patterns in Even and Odd Numbers: Desert Puzzle (Clue Puzzle)
- Quiz: Counting Objects in Equal Groups (8 questions)
- Quiz: Even and Odd Numbers (8 questions)
- Quiz: Making Amounts with Coins and Notes (8 questions)
- Quiz: Patterns in Even and Odd Numbers (8 questions)