- What patterns do you see in the above system?
- Complete the missing hexagons. (until the row with 144, 89, ...)
- What other patterns can you identify?
"I was just guessing at numbers and figures Pulling your puzzles apart" [Coldplay]
Blaise Pascal was another famous mathematician who in 1653 published his work on a special triangle following a specific pattern. This became known as Pascal’s triangle, even though many other cultures have studied this pattern thousands of years before. The observations made from Pascal’s triangle has led to patterns related to probability and statistics, which we will explore later in the semester.
Take a look at Pascal’s triangle. The first number starts with a 1. Then continue to place the number 1 on the left and right edge of each number 1 from above. To obtain the missing number below, you add the two adjacent numbers above them. For example, you add the adjacent numbers 1 and 2 to obtain 3 below them. Fill in the rest of the triangle.
Resource:Mary Ann Esteban
1. Draw a square on paper.
Use scissors to cut out the square.
You can only use one straight cut.
2. Do the same with an equilateral triangle and with a scalene triangle.