Directed Number – Subtraction by Pattern Spotting WORKSHEET
Suitable for Year groups: Year 7, Year 8
GCSE Tier: Foundation
Targeting grades: 1-3
Prerequisite knowledge: Finding the sum and difference of pairs of integers.
Directed Number – Subtraction by Pattern Spotting WORKSHEET DESCRIPTION
This worksheet will help learners understand subtraction with directed numbers through pattern recognition. The structured approach allows students to discover rules for subtracting positive and negative numbers by observing consistent patterns across multiple examples.
Section A presents six systematic sets of subtraction problems where one number remains constant while the other changes incrementally. Each set includes some completed examples to help learners identify patterns, with gaps for students to fill in missing answers. Crucially, learners must also determine whether each answer represents the sum or difference of the original numbers when signs are ignored.
Section B applies the patterns discovered in Section A to solve mixed subtraction problems involving positive and negative numbers. These questions require students to use their understanding of the underlying patterns rather than relying on rote memorisation.
Section A presents six systematic sets of subtraction problems where one number remains constant while the other changes incrementally. Each set includes some completed examples to help learners identify patterns, with gaps for students to fill in missing answers. Crucially, learners must also determine whether each answer represents the sum or difference of the original numbers when signs are ignored.
Section B applies the patterns discovered in Section A to solve mixed subtraction problems involving positive and negative numbers. These questions require students to use their understanding of the underlying patterns rather than relying on rote memorisation.
