Patterned Squares
In the article: Just Five Does It: Using Five Numbers to Make Patterned Squares, Margaret Kenney; Stanley Bezuszka, Math Teaching in the Middle School, April 2007
http://www.nctm.org/publications/article.aspx?id=20633
This sketch allows you to see the results of a pattern more quickly - which may or may not be an advantage. The article is about using this situation to generate student conjectures - great stuff.