Multiplicative (Doubling) Patterns (Grades 5–6)
In a multiplicative pattern, each term is the previous one multiplied by a fixed number (the ratio), not added to. 2, 4, 8, 16 doubles each time (×2); 3, 9, 27 triples (×3). Find the ratio by dividing a term by the one before it, then keep multiplying.
Understanding multiplicative patterns
In a multiplicative pattern, each term is the previous one multiplied by a fixed number (the ratio), not added to. 2, 4, 8, 16 doubles each time (×2); 3, 9, 27 triples (×3). Find the ratio by dividing a term by the one before it, then keep multiplying.
Key Idea
In a multiplicative pattern, each term is the previous one multiplied by a fixed number (the ratio), not added to. 2, 4, 8, 16 doubles each time (×2); 3, 9, 27 triples (×3). Find the ratio by dividing a term by the one before it, then keep multiplying.
Seeing it in action
Worked example
Continue: 2, 4, 8, 16, __.
Ratio = 4 ÷ 2 = 2 (doubling). Next = 16 × 2 = 32.
Multiply by the same ratio each time.
Try a few
3, 9, 27, __
×3.
1, 5, 25, __
×5.
2, 6, 18, __
×3.
Number Current
A calm number-line game for placing whole numbers and extending patterns.
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