Pattern Clues(1)

A Colourful Maths Puzzle

Use the clues below to create a colourful pattern above. Click on the squares multiple times to change the colours.

The ratio of green to red is 5:4.
The ratio of green to blue is 10:1.
The ratio of red to yellow is 4:3.
The pattern has vertical and horizontal lines of symmetry.
The column on the left does not have any red squares.
The ratio of yellow to green is 3:5.
There is only one blue square.
The column on the right does not have any yellow squares.
The centre row does not contain any red squares.
The bottom row contains two red squares.

When you think you have finished check through all of the clues one by one to make sure your pattern is correct.

Check

This is Pattern Clues level 1. You can also try:
Level 2 Level 3

 

Mr Taylor, Gartree High School, Leicester

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

"This really got my year 7s thinking!
A worksheet to accompany the interactive version would be ideal for when pupils do not have a computer each. I made one for myself and 4 to a page of A4 was about the right size."

Jeremy, Taiwan

Thursday, October 31, 2013

"Are there any answers?

[Transum: The answers are only available to teachers who have subscribed to Transum's Class Admin]"

Ben Rickles, 8Y3

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

"I have found an answer. I liked solving this problem because I thought it was difficult but I was able to find an answer."

Ross Mccartney, 8y3

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

"I am in Year 8 and I completed it in about 15 minutes and I loved doing it. I am now trying to work out how to do another pattern."

Reece,

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

"It was really complicated but I got it I completed it in 30 minutes."

Jack Rourke,

Monday, February 2, 2015

"It was very hard but make sure you keep looking at the clues."

Miss Shaws Class, 7.2

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

"Year 7 at Canon Lee solved this problem and enjoyed working on it."

Sophie Year 8, Tomlinscote School Yr8

Friday, November 25, 2016

"My class solved it in just under 5 minutes. It was a nice challenge."

Jeff Nike, Australia

Monday, July 3, 2017

"It was very hard to do and was challenging."

Sarah Stephens, Ballarat Central

Saturday, October 7, 2017

"It would be great if you could turn the squares back to white.

[Transum: Thanks for the suggestion Sarah. Now when you continue clicking on a square it will cycle back to white after yellow.]"

Pak Yuen, Twitter

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Freddie, Hidden Grange School

Monday, November 18, 2019

"This was amazing I loved working on it and hopefully you will make more challenging questions!
Thank you Transum."

Robert, Westfield Secondary School

Monday, November 23, 2020

"It really got me thinking it was very fun but I managed to find an answer."

Year 7 King’s College School, Cambridge

Monday, November 27, 2023

"Had a group of year 7’s who enjoyed the challenge and managed to complete within the specified time! Harder challenges if possible please would be great."

KarlchenKnack11, Germany

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

"I am a grade 7 student and it was quite challenging. I kept getting stuck on symmetry because I did not know what the question asked for. Overall great puzzle. I have the answers here: gryrg/gryrg/gybyg/gryrg/gryrg These are the rows from top to bottom, left to right. G=green, R=Red Y=yellob B=blue."

Twehferson, Kardinia International College

Thursday, October 31, 2024

"My friends and I had a lot of fun completing these puzzles. I just want more of these puzzles now! Very enjoyable and well-made."

Do you have any comments? It is always useful to receive feedback and helps make this free resource even more useful for those learning Mathematics anywhere in the world. Click here to enter your comments.

 

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Printable Clues

This interactive, self-checking activity is based on a groupwork task from SMP 11-16 (Cambridge University Press). In the original SMP version the clues were printed on cards. The cards were dealt out face-down to the members of a small group of four or five pupils.

The pupils were allowed to read out the information on any of their cards at any time and as often as they wished but they were not allowed to show their cards to anyone else.

The group then had to recreate the pattern using real counters on a printed grid.

There were 20 clues in the original SMP version.

 

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