CBSE Class 3 Mathematics: Chapter 10 Play With Patterns NCERT Solutions

Reviewed by NCERT Help Editorial Team · Updated on 29 Jul 2026

NCERT Solutions PDF Class 3 PDF

This chapter, 'Play With Patterns,' for CBSE Class 3 Mathematics, introduces young learners to the fascinating world of patterns found all around us. The NCERT Solutions provide a clear and engaging way to understand how patterns are formed using shapes, colours, and numbers. Students will learn to identify the rules governing different patterns, extend them, and even create their own. The solutions cover various types of patterns, including visual sequences and numerical progressions, helping students develop logical thinking and problem-solving skills. These solutions are designed to make learning enjoyable and are an excellent resource for exam preparation, reinforcing concepts through step-by-step explanations and practice exercises.

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Quick info

Board	CBSE
Class	Class 3
Subject	Mathematics
Session	2026
Language	English
Type	NCERT Solutions
Chapter	10. Play With Patterns

Chapter summary

Chapter 10, 'Play With Patterns,' focuses on developing pattern recognition skills in Class 3 Mathematics. It guides students to observe patterns in everyday objects, visual sequences, and number series. The NCERT Solutions break down how to identify the underlying rules of these patterns and extend them. Exercises include continuing visual patterns with changing colours or orientations and numerical patterns with consistent additions or multiplications. This chapter aims to build foundational logical reasoning and mathematical thinking through engaging pattern-based activities.

Learning outcomes

Identify patterns in everyday objects and surroundings.
Recognize and describe rules for visual patterns.
Continue given visual patterns based on identified rules.
Understand and apply rules for numerical patterns.
Extend growing number sequences.
Create simple patterns using numbers and shapes.

Topics covered

Paper topics

Identifying patterns in surroundings
Visual patterns
Repeating patterns
Growing patterns
Number patterns
Arithmetic progressions (increasing by a constant)
Patterns with increasing differences
Patterns with numbers and letters

Important topics

Identifying rules for visual patterns
Continuing visual patterns
Understanding number sequences
Extending growing number patterns
Applying addition rules in number patterns
Recognizing patterns with increasing differences

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Questions and Solutions

Question 1

Look around you and list three things in which you find some patterns.

Solution: Patterns are arrangements of shapes, colours, or numbers that repeat in a predictable way. We can find patterns in many everyday things. Here are three examples:

Staircase: The steps of a staircase form a pattern of rising levels.
Zebra Crossing: The black and white stripes on a zebra crossing create a clear alternating pattern.
Railing in a balcony: Many balcony railings have repeating designs or vertical bars, forming a visual pattern.

Question 2

Draw some patterns which you have found around yourself.

Solution: This question asks you to draw patterns you observe. For example, you could draw:

A series of alternating circles and squares.
A row of flowers with the same colour petals.
A sequence of triangles pointing up and down.

Drawing these helps you visualize and understand how patterns are constructed. (The original source shows placeholder figures for drawing).

Question 3

Can you see a pattern in the way each block is repeated?

Solution: Yes, by observing the arrangement of the blocks, we can see a pattern. The first block might be placed facing upwards, and the very next block is placed facing downwards. This up-and-down orientation alternates, creating a repeating pattern in how the blocks are positioned.

Question 1 (Practice Time)

Figure out the rule for each and continue the pattern.

Solution: Let's figure out the rule for each pattern and continue it: (a) The pattern involves colours changing. The rule is: Red, Blue, Red, Blue... The colour alternates between red and blue. Continuing this pattern, the sequence would be Red, Blue, Red, Blue, Red, Blue, and so on. (b) The pattern is based on letters. The rule is: A is written twice, followed by B written once. This sequence 'AAB' repeats. So, the pattern continues as AABAABAABAAB. (c) This pattern relates to the number of petals on a flower. The rule is: 1 petal, then 3 petals, then 5 petals. This sequence (1, 3, 5) then repeats. To continue, after 5 petals, the next flower would have 1 petal, then 3, then 5, and so on. (d) This pattern describes the movement of a blue colour. The rule is: The blue colour moves anti-clockwise in steps of one position. If we imagine a shape with several positions, the blue colour shifts one position to the left (anti-clockwise) at each step. (e) This pattern involves a figure rotating. The rule is: The figure rotates clockwise in steps of one position. This means the figure turns a little bit to the right at each step, completing a full rotation over several steps. (f) This pattern follows a sequence of times of the day. The rule is: The sequence of Morning, Afternoon, Evening, and Night repeats. So, after Night, the sequence starts again with Morning, followed by Afternoon, Evening, and Night. The full sequence is Morning, Afternoon, Evening, Night, Morning, Afternoon, Evening, Night.

Question 1 (Growing Patterns)

Can you see the rule and continue the pattern?

Solution: The pattern involves a shape with marks inside an oval. The rule is that the number of marks in the oval increases by one at each step. After the halfway mark is reached, the figure gets inverted (flipped upside down). For example, if it starts with 1 mark, the next might have 2, then 3, and so on, until a certain point, after which the shape flips and the counting of marks might restart or continue based on a new rule.

Question 1 (Number Patterns)

We have made some patterns with pictures. We can make patterns with numbers too. Like 21, 41, 61, 81, 101, 121. You know the next number, don't you? This series is growing by 20. 21, 41, 61, 81, 101, 121, 141, 161, 181,

Solution: This example shows a number pattern where each number increases by 20. The rule is to add 20 to the previous number to get the next one. Starting from 21, we add 20 to get 41, add 20 to 41 to get 61, and so on. The pattern continues by repeatedly adding 20.

Question A (Number Patterns)

Look for the rules and continue these growing patterns:

(a) 51, 56, 61, 66, —————, —————, —————

(b) 7, —————, 21, 28, 35, —————, —————, —————

(d) 12 A, 13 B, 14 C, —————, —————, —————

Solution: Let's find the rule for each pattern and continue them: (a) The pattern is 51, 56, 61, 66. The difference between consecutive numbers is 5 (56-51=5, 61-56=5, 66-61=5). The rule is to add 5 each time. Continuing the pattern: 51, 56, 61, 66, 71, 76, 81. (b) The pattern is 7, ____, 21, 28, 35, ____, ____, ____. We can see that 28 - 21 = 7 and 35 - 28 = 7. The rule is to add 7 each time. To find the missing numbers, we fill them in: 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56. (c) The pattern is 2, 4, 8, 16, 32. Let's check the difference: 4-2=2, 8-4=4, 16-8=8. The difference is not constant. Let's check multiplication: 2 x 2 = 4, 4 x 2 = 8, 8 x 2 = 16, 16 x 2 = 32. The rule is to multiply the previous number by 2. Continuing the pattern: 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256. (d) The pattern is 12 A, 13 B, 14 C. The number increases by 1 each time (12, 13, 14), and the letter follows the alphabetical order (A, B, C). The rule is to increase the number by 1 and move to the next letter. Continuing the pattern: 12 A, 13 B, 14 C, 15 D, 16 E, 17 F.

Question 1 (Number Patterns - Continued)

Look at these growing patterns. Find out what to add to each number to get the next one.

(a) 1, 3, 6, 10, —————, —————, —————

(b) 0, 2, 6, 12, —————, —————

(d) 2, 3, 6, 11, 18, —————, —————, —————

Solution: Let's analyze these patterns by looking at the difference between consecutive numbers: (a) The pattern is 1, 3, 6, 10. - The difference between 3 and 1 is 2 (1 + 2 = 3). - The difference between 6 and 3 is 3 (3 + 3 = 6). - The difference between 10 and 6 is 4 (6 + 4 = 10). The number being added increases by 1 each time (2, 3, 4). So, the next numbers to add will be 5, 6, and 7. Continuing the pattern: 1, 3, 6, 10, 15 (10+5), 21 (15+6), 28 (21+7). (b) The pattern is 0, 2, 6, 12. - The difference between 2 and 0 is 2 (0 + 2 = 2). - The difference between 6 and 2 is 4 (2 + 4 = 6). - The difference between 12 and 6 is 6 (6 + 6 = 12). The number being added increases by 2 each time (2, 4, 6). So, the next numbers to add will be 8 and 10. Continuing the pattern: 0, 2, 6, 12, 20 (12+8), 30 (20+10). (c) The pattern is 1, 3, 7, 13. - The difference between 3 and 1 is 2 (1 + 2 = 3). - The difference between 7 and 3 is 4 (3 + 4 = 7). - The difference between 13 and 7 is 6 (7 + 6 = 13). The number being added increases by 2 each time (2, 4, 6). So, the next numbers to add will be 8, 10, and 12. Continuing the pattern: 1, 3, 7, 13, 21 (13+8), 31 (21+10), 43 (31+12). (d) The pattern is 2, 3, 6, 11, 18. - The difference between 3 and 2 is 1 (2 + 1 = 3). - The difference between 6 and 3 is 3 (3 + 3 = 6). - The difference between 11 and 6 is 5 (6 + 5 = 11). - The difference between 18 and 11 is 7 (11 + 7 = 18). The number being added increases by 2 each time (1, 3, 5, 7). So, the next numbers to add will be 9, 11, and 13. Continuing the pattern: 2, 3, 6, 11, 18, 27 (18+9), 38 (27+11), 51 (38+13).

Common mistakes

Incorrectly identifying the rule for a pattern.
Making errors when extending a pattern by one or more steps.
Confusing the order of elements in a sequence.
Calculation errors in numerical patterns.

Revision tips

Look for repeating elements or changes in visual patterns.
Determine the constant difference or multiplier in number sequences.
Practice extending patterns by at least three steps.
Try creating your own patterns and ask a friend to solve them.
Review the examples carefully to understand different pattern types.

Practice MCQs

Q1. Which of the following is a pattern found around us?

Q2. What is the rule for the pattern AABAAB?

Q3. If a pattern increases by 5 each time, starting from 10, what are the next three numbers?

Q4. In the number pattern 2, 4, 8, 16, what is the rule?

Q5. What is the next number in the sequence 1, 3, 6, 10?

Frequently asked questions

What is the main goal of the 'Play With Patterns' chapter for Class 3 Maths?

The main goal is to help students develop their observation skills and logical thinking by identifying, understanding, and continuing various patterns found in shapes, colours, and numbers.

How do these NCERT Solutions help students understand patterns?

The solutions provide clear, step-by-step explanations for each type of pattern, making it easier for students to grasp the underlying rules and how to apply them to continue or create patterns.

Are there patterns with numbers in this chapter?

Yes, the chapter includes number patterns where students learn to identify rules like adding a fixed number or adding an increasing number to get the next term in the sequence.

What kind of visual patterns are covered?

Visual patterns include those that change colour, orientation, or shape in a repeating or growing sequence, as seen in figures and blocks.

How can these solutions help with exam revision?

These solutions offer practice and reinforce understanding of pattern recognition and rule application, which are common concepts tested in exams. Reviewing them helps students build confidence.

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