Problems

Materials:

  • paper
  • pencil

We can make number patterns using dominos.
In some patterns only one part of the domino changes:

A set of 5 dominoes, one dot on top one on the bottom, one dot on top two on the bottom, one dot on top three on the bottom, one dot on top four on the bottom, the fifth domino has a question mark in the top and bottom

In other patterns both parts of the domino change and each part might have its own pattern:

A set of 5 dominoes, one dot on top five on the bottom, two dots on top four on the bottom, three dots on top three on the bottom, four dots on top two on the bottom, the fifth domino has a question mark in the top and bottom

Can you figure out which domino pieces which would go in the middle in each of the sets of three dominoes below?

Helpful Hints/Possible Questions:

  • You may want to have your child start by solving the examples above.
  • If you don’t have a printer, you or your child could copy the domino puzzles onto a piece of paper.
  • What numbers are at the top of the three dominoes?
  • What number could come between them?
  • What numbers are at the bottom of the three dominoes?
  • What number could come between them?

Set of 3 dominoes, two dots on top two dots on bottom, no dots on top no dots on bottom, six dots on top six dots on bottom.

Set of 3 dominoes, two dots on top six dots on bottom, no dots on top no dots on bottom, four dots on top four dots on bottom.

Set of 3 dominoes, three dots on top our dots on bottom, no dots on top no dots on bottom, one dot on top six dots on bottom.

Set of 3 dominoes, four dots on top six dots on bottom, no dots on top no dots on bottom, two dots on top four dots on bottom.

Set of 3 dominoes, one dot on top two dots on bottom, no dots on top no dots on bottom, three dots on top four dots on bottom.

Set of 3 dominoes, one dot on top two dots on bottom, no dots on top no dots on bottom, one dot on top six dots on bottom.

Set of 3 dominoes, two dots on top six dots on bottom, no dots on top no dots on bottom, no dots on top four dots on bottom.

Set of 3 dominoes, three dots on top six dots on bottom, no dots on top no dots on bottom, one dot on top two dots on bottom.

Adapted from nrich.maths.org