Abstract:

In this study strategies used by middle school students while creating figural patterns based on a linear number pattern was investigated. In total, 474 middle school students attended to study. Data were collected from a pattern task, in which participants were asked to generate figural patterns based on a 3,5,7,9,11,… linear number pattern. The obtained data were analysed at two levels. The results of the study indicated that participants produced different figural patterns and used different generating pattern strategies. The nature of the strategies that participants used was both visual and non-visual. Most of the participants preferred counting strategy while creating figural patterns. Moreover, in that study in addition to counting strategy, determining a figure+counting, recursive, drawing, explicit and chunking the numbers strategies were used. During the generating figural patterns, some of the participants had issues while generating figural patterns. 

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