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Grade 1 · lesson 4 of 4

Track an Input and Its Output

Apply the same paper rule separately to two starting pictures.

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Supplied materials

  • Paper and pencil; an adult may read aloud. No device, account or purchase is needed.

Learn the idea

An input is what we start with. A rule changes or uses that input, and the output is the result. To test the same rule fairly, start each test with its own input. Do not accidentally keep marks from the previous test. We can show this with drawn dots rather than a device.

Our rule is draw one extra dot next to the supplied dots, then show the total number of dots. The first input has two dots, and the second has four. Copy each input into its own row before adding anything. This separates the given dots from the one dot the rule adds.

  1. Draw a table with input dots and output dots columns.
  2. Copy two dots into row A, then add exactly one more.
  3. Copy four dots into row B, then add exactly one more.
  4. Count each output and explain why the rule stays the same while results differ.
Worked example

See the method in action

Input 2 dots → add 1 → output 3 dots. Input 4 dots → add 1 → output 5 dots. Row B starts with four, not the three dots left by row A.

Your turn

Check your reasoning

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A fresh input has three dots. Under add one extra dot, what is the output count?

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See the answer and explanation

4

The input supplies 3 dots and the rule adds 1, making 4. Starting fresh prevents carrying over another row’s result.

Take it further

Change the rule to add two extra dots. For input 3, expected output is 5 dots; for input 0, expected output is 2 dots. Show both new rows.

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Check the subject sources

These LifeStarter passages, scenarios and exercises are authored for this Academy with AI assistance and review. External resources keep their publishers’ terms. A grade label suggests a starting level; it does not establish alignment with your school’s complete requirements.