Write the rule that gives the number of matchsticks required to make a pattern of letter M.

Answer

To determine the number of matchsticks required to create the letter "M," we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Structure of the Letter "M":**
The letter "M" consists of two vertical lines and two diagonal lines connecting them.

2. **Count the Matchsticks:**
- **First Vertical Line:** We need 1 matchstick for the left vertical line.
- **Second Vertical Line:** We need another matchstick for the right vertical line.
- **First Diagonal Line:** We need 1 matchstick for the diagonal line going from the bottom of the left vertical line to the top of the right vertical line.
- **Second Diagonal Line:** We need another matchstick for the diagonal line going from the top of the left vertical line to the bottom of the right vertical line.

3. **Total Matchsticks Calculation:**
- Adding them up:
- 1 (left vertical) + 1 (right vertical) + 1 (first diagonal) + 1 (second diagonal) = 4 matchsticks.

4. **Formulate the Rule:**
- Since we consistently use 4 matchsticks to create the letter "M," we can express this as a rule:
- The number of matchsticks required to create the letter "M" can be represented as:
\[ \text{Number of matchsticks} = 4 \]
- If we generalize this for "n" letters "M," the formula would be:
\[ \text{Total matchsticks for n letters} = 4n \]

### Final Answer:
The number of matchsticks required to make the letter "M" is **4**. The rule can be expressed as **4n**, where **n** is the number of letters "M."

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