Add a number each time
for 4th grade

Number patterns: adding the same number each time

This topic explores number patterns that involve adding the same number each time. This type of sequence of numbers is known as an arithmetic sequence because it changes by the same amount each time. Let's start by looking at a simple number pattern:

2 , 4 , 6 , 8 , _ , _ ...

What comes next? To find out, let's first look at the differences between each pair of consecutive numbers:

• 4 - 2 = 2
• 6 - 4 = 2
• 8 - 6 = 2

You can see that in each step, we add 2 to get the next number in the sequence. Now, let's use this rule to find the next number:

8 + 2 = 10

So, the next number in the pattern is 10. The sequence now looks like this:

2 , 4 , 6 , 8 , 10 , _ ...

If we do the next number in the sequence, it will be 10 + 2 which is 12,

2 , 4 , 6 , 8 , 10 , 12 ...

So the steps to find the next number in patterns that add a number each time is:

1. Identify the difference between each pair of consecutive numbers.
2. Add this difference to the last number in the sequence.
3. That is the next number in the sequence.

This topic asks you to work out the next number in the pattern of numbers created by adding the same number each time to a list or sequence.

Related topics

• Subtract a number each time
• Double a number each time