Fill in the missing numbers exercise - Free Printable

Let's solve each caterpillar sequence step by step. Each caterpillar has a series of numbered segments, and we need to fill in the missing numbers in order.

We’ll go row by row.

---

Row 1:

Numbers: `73, 74, __, __, __, __, 79`

This is increasing by 1.

- 73, 74 → next is 75
- Then 76, 77, 78, then 79

So:
- Missing: 75, 76, 77, 78

✔ Sequence: 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79

---

Row 2:

Numbers: `__, __, 64, 65, __, 67, __`

We have:
- 64, 65 → so before that: 62, 63
- After 65: 66, then 67, then 68

So:
- First blank: 62
- Second blank: 63
- Third blank (after 65): 66
- Fourth blank (after 67): 68

✔ Sequence: 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68

---

Row 3:

Numbers: `__, __, 68, 69, __, 71`

So:
- Before 68: 66, 67
- After 69: 70, then 71

So:
- First two blanks: 66, 67
- Third blank: 70

✔ Sequence: 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71

---

Row 4:

Numbers: `__, 71, __, 73, __, 75`

We see:
- 71, then blank, then 73 → so missing number is 72
- Then after 73: blank → should be 74
- Then 75

So:
- First blank: ? → before 71 → 70
- Then 71
- Then 72
- Then 73
- Then 74
- Then 75

Wait — let’s count positions:

Positions:
1. ?
2. 71
3. ?
4. 73
5. ?
6. 75

So:
- Position 1: before 71 → must be 70
- Position 3: between 71 and 73 → 72
- Position 5: between 73 and 75 → 74

✔ So: 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75

---

Row 5:

Numbers: `72, 73, __, __, 76, __`

So:
- 72, 73 → next: 74, 75
- Then 76
- Then 77

So:
- Blanks: 74, 75, 77

✔ Sequence: 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77

---

Row 6:

Numbers: `__, __, __, __, 71, 72, 73, __`

We have:
- 71, 72, 73 → so before 71: 68, 69, 70
- After 73: 74

So:
- First four blanks: 68, 69, 70, 71? Wait — no!

Wait: The last known number is 71, then 72, 73 → so the fourth blank is 70, then 71?

Let’s list positions:

1. ?
2. ?
3. ?
4. ?
5. 71
6. 72
7. 73
8. ?

So:
- From 71 backward: 70, 69, 68, 67
- But only 4 blanks before 71 → so:
- Position 4: 70
- Position 3: 69
- Position 2: 68
- Position 1: 67
- After 73: 74

✔ So: 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74

---

✔ Final Answer:

Let’s write all completed sequences:

1. 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79
2. 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68
3. 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71
4. 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75
5. 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77
6. 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74

---

🔍 Explanation:

Each caterpillar represents a number line with consecutive integers increasing by 1. We simply filled in the gaps by counting forward or backward from the given numbers.

All sequences are arithmetic sequences with common difference 1.

Let me know if you'd like this formatted for printing or as a worksheet!