How many chairs around the table?

Four chairs fit around one square table. When two tables are pushed together, it will seat six people. Find a pattern you can use to predict the number of people (chairs) that may be seated at any size table.

Here is a canvas you can work on:

Think about these questions:

• Describe how you see the pattern growing. What stays the same, and what changes in the pattern?
  • You may draw pictures, recolor them or write an explanation to make your answer clear.
• Can you draw pictures to extend the pattern?
  • How many chairs and tables would you need to build the fourth figure in the pattern?
• What's the number of people you can sit with 9 tables?
• How can you compute the number of chairs in any figure in the pattern?
  • Describe how the total number of chairs is related to the figure number (or term number). Try to express it algebraically.