Quantitative reasoning
CAT4 number series
Spot the pattern in a row of numbers and say what comes next.
What the questions look like
Your child sees a row of numbers that follow a pattern and chooses the number that comes next.
In the digital CAT4 (Levels A–G) this section is timed at 8 minutes.
Worked example
Example 1 · easier
Which number comes next?
Show answer
Answer: A Take away 9 each time. So the next number is 10.
What it measures
Seeing numerical patterns and how they grow. It rewards organised thinking more than fast arithmetic.
Tips for your child
- Write the difference between each pair of neighbours underneath.
- If the differences change, look at how they change (they might go up by one each time).
- If differences don't help, try multiplying, or look for two series taking turns.
- Know the classic patterns: doubling, square numbers, and adding the two previous numbers.
Watch out for: Answers that continue the pattern by one step too few or too many, or that only follow the first half of an alternating pattern.
A harder example
Example 2 · harder
Which number comes next?
Show answer
Answer: E These are square numbers: 4×4, 5×5, 6×6, and so on. So the next number is 81.
Practise with fresh questions every time
Our number series questions are generated new on every visit, so your child can practise as much as they like without memorising answers. Choose a level:
Questions parents ask
What patterns should my child recognise?
Adding or taking away the same amount, doubling, differences that grow, square numbers, two series taking turns, and each number being the sum of the two before.
Questions on this page are original Edzuno practice items in the CAT4 style, not real CAT4 questions. CAT4 is a trademark of GL Education. Timing source: GL Assessment.