Choose any 10 numbers in order without skipping any (consecutive numbers). Write whether they are even or odd below each number. What do you notice? Discuss.
Example: Choosing numbers 20 to 29: 20 (even), 21 (odd), 22 (even), 23 (odd), 24 (even), 25 (odd), 26 (even), 27 (odd), 28 (even), 29 (odd)
Pattern: Even and odd numbers alternate — they come one after another in the pattern: even, odd, even, odd, even, odd...
Conclusion: In any 10 consecutive numbers, there are exactly 5 even and 5 odd numbers.
Explanation
The chapter encourages students to observe the alternating pattern of even and odd numbers in consecutive numbers. This pattern is consistent: even numbers are followed by odd numbers, and odd numbers are followed by even numbers. In any set of consecutive numbers, even and odd numbers occur in equal quantities.
Solution Steps
Choose any 10 consecutive numbers.
Identify each number as even or odd.
Observe that even and odd numbers alternate.
Count the total even and odd numbers in the set.