Content Strand 5: Algebraic Sense - Item Specification (8-2005)

AS01 (Patterns and Functions) Recognize, extend, or represent linear patterns and sequences using tables; recognize or extend patterns and sequences that use two different arithmetic operations to move, alternating, from one term to the next; describe a rule and/or construct a table to represent a pattern with combinations of two arithmetic operations in the rule (1.5.1, 1.5.2)

Item Format:

· Multiple-Choice and Short-Answer items may be used to test this learning target.

Stimulus, Stem, and Prompt Rules:

· Stimulus may include numbers, tables, charts of number pairs, or pictures that show number patterns.
· A given pattern must have a minimum of four elements or terms.
· Number patterns may use two different operations that alternate between terms.
· Number patterns may include addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division with whole numbers and/or non-negative decimals or fractions.

Mathematical Vocabulary and Terms:

· Terms that may be used: pattern, predict, rule
· Terms that may be used with definitions or examples: function, interval, sequence
· Terms that may not be used: linear

Item Characteristics:

a) Items may ask students to identify or describe a pattern that is a linear relationship and provide missing terms.
b) Items may ask students to identify or supply missing element(s) in the beginning, middle and/or end of a pattern, describe the pattern, and/or write a rule for the pattern.
c) Items may ask students to identify a pattern that is equivalent to a given pattern.
d) Items may ask students to create a pattern that has the same linear relationship as another pattern.
e) Items may ask students to create a pattern and explain what makes it a pattern.
f) Items may ask students to identify a rule, with combinations of two arithmetic operations in the rule, representing a pattern in a table, graph, or words.
g) Items may ask students to write a rule and/or construct a table to represent a pattern with combinations of two arithmetic operations in the rule.