FMT3701
ASSIGNMENT 2
ANSWERS 2026
FMT3701 ASSIGNMENT 2 ANSWERS
2026
,FMT3701
1.1 Recognising patterns in early childhood education and their link to
algebraic concepts (5 marks)
- Why patterns are important
- Build mathematical thinking helps children notice regularities, sort and classify
objects, and predict what comes next.
- Support reasoning and memory: patterns provide structure that aids recall and
verbal explanations.
- Everyday relevance: patterns appear in sounds, rhythms, colours, actions, and
routines, making math meaningful.
- How patterns lay a foundation for algebra
- Early algebra is about generalizing rules from patterns, not just computing with
numbers.
- Children learn to describe a rule from a pattern (for example, “add 2” each time)
and use that rule to extend the sequence.
- Patterns introduce symbols and variables in a concrete way (e.g., “the nth term” or
a missing term) and help children think about how changing one part of a pattern
affects the rest.
- Simple examples
- Pattern extension: red, blue, red, blue, … — ask what comes next; the rule is AB
and the next term is red.
- Numeric pattern: 2, 4, 6, 8, … — the rule is “add 2”; predict the next number (10).
This activity builds the habit of looking for regularities and articulating the rule.
1.2 Space and shape in mathematical terms (5 marks)
- Space (definition in math terms)
- Space is the area or volume in which objects exist and can be located; it includes
the position and orientation of objects relative to others and to boundaries.
- In early years, space is often taught through spatial relationships and positions
(e.g., in front of, behind, left of, right of, above, below).
, - Shape (definition in math terms)
- A shape is a figure with a boundary (2D shapes like circle, square, triangle) or a
solid with surfaces (3D shapes like cube, sphere, cylinder); shapes have properties
such as sides, corners, faces, edges, and angles.
- One practical example for each (foundation phase learners)
- Space example: Have a child place a block to the left of a toy car (or to the right of
the book). This uses basic spatial terms and helps them understand position in a
shared space.
- Shape example: Identify a circle in the environment (e.g., a round clock or a coin)
and describe its property as a shape with no corners and a continuous curved edge.
This introduces the idea of a 2D shape and its defining characteristics.
QUESTION 2
2.1 Three key ideas in patterns, functions, and algebra for foundation phase
learners (with classroom examples)
- Idea 1: Pattern recognition, description, and continuation
- What it means: noticing regularities in sequences and describing the rule that
generates the next terms.
- Classroom examples:
- Use concrete materials (colored blocks, beads, buttons) to create simple
patterns (e.g., A-B-A-B or A-A-B) and ask students to extend the pattern and explain
the rule in their own words.
- Have learners create a WhatsApp-like “pattern” card: "This row shows two red
blocks and one blue block repeating. What comes next?" Require a short
justification.
- Link to early addition: show 2, 4, 6, … and ask, “What comes next? How can you
describe the pattern rule?” (continue by 2).
- Idea 2: Functional thinking and simple input–output relationships
- What it means: begin to see that a rule takes something (an input) and produces
something else (an output).
- Classroom examples:
ASSIGNMENT 2
ANSWERS 2026
FMT3701 ASSIGNMENT 2 ANSWERS
2026
,FMT3701
1.1 Recognising patterns in early childhood education and their link to
algebraic concepts (5 marks)
- Why patterns are important
- Build mathematical thinking helps children notice regularities, sort and classify
objects, and predict what comes next.
- Support reasoning and memory: patterns provide structure that aids recall and
verbal explanations.
- Everyday relevance: patterns appear in sounds, rhythms, colours, actions, and
routines, making math meaningful.
- How patterns lay a foundation for algebra
- Early algebra is about generalizing rules from patterns, not just computing with
numbers.
- Children learn to describe a rule from a pattern (for example, “add 2” each time)
and use that rule to extend the sequence.
- Patterns introduce symbols and variables in a concrete way (e.g., “the nth term” or
a missing term) and help children think about how changing one part of a pattern
affects the rest.
- Simple examples
- Pattern extension: red, blue, red, blue, … — ask what comes next; the rule is AB
and the next term is red.
- Numeric pattern: 2, 4, 6, 8, … — the rule is “add 2”; predict the next number (10).
This activity builds the habit of looking for regularities and articulating the rule.
1.2 Space and shape in mathematical terms (5 marks)
- Space (definition in math terms)
- Space is the area or volume in which objects exist and can be located; it includes
the position and orientation of objects relative to others and to boundaries.
- In early years, space is often taught through spatial relationships and positions
(e.g., in front of, behind, left of, right of, above, below).
, - Shape (definition in math terms)
- A shape is a figure with a boundary (2D shapes like circle, square, triangle) or a
solid with surfaces (3D shapes like cube, sphere, cylinder); shapes have properties
such as sides, corners, faces, edges, and angles.
- One practical example for each (foundation phase learners)
- Space example: Have a child place a block to the left of a toy car (or to the right of
the book). This uses basic spatial terms and helps them understand position in a
shared space.
- Shape example: Identify a circle in the environment (e.g., a round clock or a coin)
and describe its property as a shape with no corners and a continuous curved edge.
This introduces the idea of a 2D shape and its defining characteristics.
QUESTION 2
2.1 Three key ideas in patterns, functions, and algebra for foundation phase
learners (with classroom examples)
- Idea 1: Pattern recognition, description, and continuation
- What it means: noticing regularities in sequences and describing the rule that
generates the next terms.
- Classroom examples:
- Use concrete materials (colored blocks, beads, buttons) to create simple
patterns (e.g., A-B-A-B or A-A-B) and ask students to extend the pattern and explain
the rule in their own words.
- Have learners create a WhatsApp-like “pattern” card: "This row shows two red
blocks and one blue block repeating. What comes next?" Require a short
justification.
- Link to early addition: show 2, 4, 6, … and ask, “What comes next? How can you
describe the pattern rule?” (continue by 2).
- Idea 2: Functional thinking and simple input–output relationships
- What it means: begin to see that a rule takes something (an input) and produces
something else (an output).
- Classroom examples:
