Multiples and Number Sequences | Year 4 Maths
30 October 2026 · Pi Leo Academy
Watch this Pi Leo Academy lesson on YouTube. Pause whenever you want to try a step yourself.
A row of numbers is easier to understand when you can explain what happens between them. In this Year 4 companion guide, we turn a number pattern into a rule you can use again. You only need paper and a pencil.
What is a multiple?
A multiple of a number is made by multiplying that number by a whole number. For example, 6, 12, 18 and 24 are multiples of 6. They are the totals for one group of six, two groups of six, three groups of six and four groups of six. Zero is also a multiple: 0 × 6 = 0.
A sequence is a list in a particular order. When the list shows consecutive multiples of six, the rule is add six each time. The number is getting larger by the same amount at every step.
A worked example: find the missing number
Try this sequence: 18, 24, 30, □, 42.
- Look at the first jump: 24 − 18 = 6.
- Check the next jump: 30 − 24 = 6.
- Apply the same rule: 30 + 6 = 36.
- Check the final jump: 36 + 6 = 42.
The missing number is 36. Notice that we checked both sides of the gap. That makes the answer much more convincing than guessing from the first two numbers.
Connect the pattern to something real
Imagine arranging chairs in rows of six. Three rows hold 18 chairs. Add another row and there are 24; add another and there are 30. Drawing the rows helps explain why the same jump keeps appearing.
Ask your child, “What does the six represent?” Then ask how many chairs seven rows would hold. The calculation 7 × 6 = 42 connects the sequence to a multiplication fact.
A mistake to watch for
Do not confuse a number's position with its value. In 18, 24, 30, 36, the fourth term is 36. It is not 4 × 6, because this displayed sequence starts at 18 rather than 6. Always check the starting value and the stated rule.
Two questions to try
- Complete the consecutive multiples of four: 12, 16, □, 24.
- Seven teams each need eight bibs. How many bibs are needed?
Answers: 1. 20, because each jump is four. 2. 56 bibs, because 7 × 8 = 56.
For a useful follow-up, let your child create a sequence with one missing term. Ask them to explain how they know the rule works all the way through.
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Turn one number pattern into a useful maths habit
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