Learning Guide Module

Subject Code Math 3 Mathematics 3

Module Code 13.0 Pascal’s Triangle
Lesson Code 13.1 Patterns in the Pascal Triangle
Time Frame 30 minutes

TARGET Time Allocation: 1 minute

Actual Time Allocation: _____ minutes

By the end of this lesson, the students will have been able to identify the entries in the Pascal’s
Triangle.

HOOK Time Allocation: 4 minutes

Actual Time Allocation: _____ minutes

Have you ever asked how Pascal’s triangle was constructed? Try to figure it out.

Figure 1. Pascal’s Triangle

(Image Source: https://ptri1.tripod.com/)

Pascal’s triangle is considered as one of the most interesting number patterns. It is named
after Blaise Pascal, a famous French Mathematician and Philosopher. But before it was discovered, Jia
Xian (a Chinese mathematician), developed a triangular representation for the coefficients in the 11th
century (see Figure 2).

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 Figure 2
Chinese mathematician Jia Xian devised a triangular representation for the coefficients in an expansion of binomial
expressions in the 11th century. His triangle was further studied and popularized by Chinese mathematician Yang Hui in the
13th century, for which reason in China it is often called the Yanghui triangle. It was included as an illustration in Zhu
Shijie's Siyuan yujian (1303; “Precious Mirror of Four Elements”), where it was already called the “Old Method.” The
remarkable pattern of coefficients was also studied in the 11th century by Persian poet and astronomer Omar Khayyam. It
was reinvented in 1665 by French mathematician Blaise Pascal in the West, where it is known as Pascal's triangle.
By permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library
(Image and text sources: https://www.britannica.com/science/Pascals-triangle)

As we can see in Figure 1, at the topmost part of the triangle, it begins with "1", then numbers
below are arranged in a triangular pattern. The next rows of the triangle are formed by adding the two
numbers above them (left and right). Simply, all numbers outside the triangle are zeros.

We got the 2nd row, 0 + 1 = 𝟏; 1 + 1 = 𝟐; 1 + 0 = 𝟏 and the third, 0 + 1 = 𝟏;

1 + 2 = 𝟑; 2 + 1 = 𝟑; 1 + 0 = 𝟏. Thus, the rows of the triangle continue infinitely.

Even if it is relatively easy to construct the Pascal’s Triangle, it contains many amazing patterns,
some are surprising and some may also be complex.

IGNITE Time Allocation: 15 minutes

Actual Time Allocation: _____ minutes

Let us explore the Pascal’s triangle and the amazing patterns in it.

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 Diagonals
Try to observe the highlighted diagonals of
the Pascal’s Triangle. Noticed that the first
diagonal shows all 1’s.
The second diagonal represents counting
numbers (1,2,3, . . ).
The third diagonal illustrates the triangular
numbers. These numbers represent the number
of dots in each triangular pattern (see Figure 4)

Figure 3 Figure 4
(Image sources: https://www.mathsisfun.com/pascals-triangle.html)

The fourth diagonal which was not highlighted represents tetrahedral numbers. These numbers
are figurate numbers that illustrate a pyramid with a triangular base and three sides, called a tetrahedron (see
figure 5).

Figure 5
(Image source: https://images.app.goo.gl/JxZWmwi4AaHe7An68)

Symmetrical

Pascal’s triangle is also symmetrical. As we can observe,

the numbers on the left side have identical pairing numbers on the
right side. It is like a mirror image (see Figure 6).

Figure 6
(Image source: https://www.mathsisfun.com/pascals-triangle.html)

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Horizontal Sums
Examine the horizontal sums. What can you observe?

As we get the sum of each horizontal row, it shows a pattern. This pattern illustrates powers
of 2 (see Figure 7). Since we consider the topmost as 20 = 1 where 0 is the row number, then it
follows that 21 = 2, 22 = 4 and the pattern continues.

Figure 7
(Image source: https://www.mathsisfun.com/pascals-triangle.html)

Exponents of 11

Looking at the numbers in each row, they also represent the digits of powers of 11.
110=1 (the first row is just a "1")
111=11 (the second row is "1" and "1")
112=121 (the third row is "1", "2", "1")
and it goes on infinitely (see Figure 8).

Figure 8
(Image source: https://www.mathsisfun.com/pascals-triangle.html)

How about the fifth row, 115 ? One amazing observation shows that the digits simply overlap.

Similar instances happen with the sixth and other rows.

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Squares

Try to look at the second diagonal. We can say

that the square of a number is equal to the sum of the
numbers next to it and below both of those two
numbers (see Figure 9).

Examples:
22 = 1 + 3 = 4,
42 = 6 + 10 = 16,
52 = 10 + 15 = 25,
...
Figure 9
(Image source: https://www.mathsisfun.com/pascals-triangle.html)

Fibonacci Sequence

Try this:
How is Fibonacci sequence illustrated in the Pascal’s triangle? Try to observe the figure
below. As we recall Fibonacci Sequence, it starts with "0, 1" and then goes on by adding the two
previous numbers. (For example, 1+2=3, then 3+5=8, and so on).

Figure 10
(Image source: https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/2563623/relation-between-pascals-triangle-and-fibonacci-series)

Odds and Evens

Try to color the even and odd numbers, what goes into your
mind with the pattern formed?
It shows the same pattern as the Sierpinski Triangle (see
figure 11). Sierpinski Triangle is constantly repeating pattern of
triangles (see Figure 12).

Figure 11

(Image source:
Figure 12 https://www.mathsisfun.com/pascals-
triangle.html)
(Image source: https://www.mathsisfun.com/sierpinski-triangle.html)

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Finding Entries in the Pascal’s Triangle

Pascal’s triangle is truly fascinating because we can find numerous patterns present in it.
Another feature of the triangle is that we can compute for a certain number in the triangle using nCr
(combination formula) where 𝑛 represents the number of rows and 𝑟 is for the element of that row. For
example, let us have the elements in the fourth row, 1 is the zeroth element, 4 is the first element, 6 is
the second element, the next 4 is the third element, and the last 1 is the fourth element. We are naming
the elements from left to right. To recall, we have the formula for nCr,

𝒏!
n𝑪r =
(𝒏−𝒓)!𝒓!

This pattern of determining binomial coefficients is referred to as Pascal’s rule.

Let us have the following examples.

Example 1 Find the entry of the sixth element of the 8th row.
Solution. Let 𝑛 = 8 and 𝑟 = 6. Using the Pascal’s rule,
8!
8𝐶 6 = = 𝟐𝟖
(8−6)!6!

Example 2 Find the entry of the twelfth element of the 25 th row.

Solution. Let 𝑛 = 25 and 𝑟 = 12. Using the combination formula,
25!
25𝐶 12 = = 𝟓, 𝟐𝟎𝟎, 𝟑𝟎𝟎
(25−12)!12!

NAVIGATE Time Allocation: 8 minutes

Actual Time Allocation: _____ minutes

This is a non-graded assessment.

1. What other patterns can you make out of the Pascal’s triangle?
2. Find the entries of the following in the Pascal’s triangle.
a. 10th element of the 15th row.
b. 11th element of 40th row.
c. 4th element of 12th row.

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 KNOT Time Allocation: 2 minutes
Actual Time Allocation: _____ minutes

As we explore patterns in the Pascal’s triangle, we have learned the following:

➢ Each element in the row represents the sum of the two numbers above it (row above).
➢ All numbers outside the triangle are 1’s.
➢ Pascal’s triangle is symmetrical.
➢ Counting numbers are shown in the first diagonals.
➢ If we are to look at the sums of the rows, these show the powers of 2.
➢ Each row also gives the digits of the powers of 11.
➢ Each entry can be chosen using the combination formula.
➢ The pattern in determining the binomial coefficients is known as Pascal’s rule.
➢ Fibonacci numbers are also shown along the diagonals.

References:

Berryman. Kate. (n.d). Pascal’s Triangle.

http://jwilson.coe.uga.edu/EMAT6680Su12/Berryman/6690/BerrymanK-Pascals/BerrymanK-
Pascals.html
Cornell University. (2012). Pascal’s Triangle
http://pi.math.cornell.edu/~araymer/Puzzle/PascalsTriangle.pdf
Hosch, William L. (n.d). Pascal’s triangle.
https://www.britannica.com/science/Pascals-triangle
MathisFun Website. (2018). Pascal’s Triangle
https://www.mathsisfun.com/pascals-triangle.html

Prepared by: FREDERICK F. FAZ Reviewed by: MARIA GENILE C. CABALLERO

Position: Special Science Teacher II Position: Special Science Teacher IV
Campus: MIMAROPA Campus Campus: Central Mindanao Campus

Answer Key

Navigate

1. Answers may vary.

2. a. 3,003 b. 2,311,801,440 c. 495

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