X Tables
Times Tables Real Life

Chair Legs 4 times table adventure

A story-led page turning chair legs into a junior adventure for practising the 4 times table.

Quick answer

By practising the 4 times table, you can quickly work out how many legs you need for any number of chairs!

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will be able to multiply any number by 4 and use this to solve real-life problems, like working out how many legs you need for a group of chairs. Success signs:
  • You can count in 4s up to 50
  • You can multiply any number by 4
  • You can solve a problem using 4 times table facts
  • You can explain how 4 times table helps with real-life situations

Why this matters

The 4 times table helps you work out how many legs you need for chairs, how many wheels are on toy cars, how many sides a square has, and even how many pieces of pizza each person gets if you split 4 pieces between 3 people. It’s useful in school, at home, and even when you’re playing games or building with LEGO!

How it works

Multiplying by 4 means you have groups of 4. For example:
  • 1 group of 4 = 4
  • 2 groups of 4 = 8
  • 3 groups of 4 = 12
  • 4 groups of 4 = 16
You can think of this as repeated addition:
  • 4 + 4 = 8
  • 4 + 4 + 4 = 12
  • 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 = 16
You can also use arrays or drawings to help you see how groups of 4 make bigger numbers.

Examples you can see

Let’s imagine you are building a classroom with chairs. Each chair has 4 legs. Here are some examples:
  • 1 chair = 4 legs
  • 2 chairs = 8 legs
  • 3 chairs = 12 legs
  • 4 chairs = 16 legs
  • 5 chairs = 20 legs
You can draw a picture to help:
  • Draw 5 chairs
  • Draw 4 legs on each chair
  • Count all the legs = 20 legs

Try it as a mini adventure

Adventure: The Chair Leg Builder You are a furniture builder and need to make a big classroom with 12 chairs. Each chair needs 4 legs. 1st time: You count 1 chair, it has 4 legs. 2nd time: You count 2 chairs, they have 8 legs. 3rd time: You count 3 chairs, they have 12 legs. 4th time: You count 4 chairs, they have 16 legs. 5th time: You count 5 chairs, they have 20 legs. 6th time: You count 6 chairs, they have 24 legs. 7th time: You count 7 chairs, they have 28 legs. 8th time: You count 8 chairs, they have 32 legs. 9th time: You count 9 chairs, they have 36 legs. 10th time: You count 10 chairs, they have 40 legs. 11th time: You count 11 chairs, they have 44 legs. 12th time: You count 12 chairs, they have 48 legs. Now you know that 12 chairs need 48 legs!

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Thinking 4 x 4 = 16, but confusing it with 4 + 4 = 8.
    Why it happens: Mixing up multiplication with addition.
    Fix: Use repeated addition to check: 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 = 16.
  • Mistake: Counting 4, 8, 12, 15, 20 instead of 4, 8, 12, 16, 20.
    Why it happens: Skipping numbers when counting in 4s.
    Fix: Use a number line or count fingers to help.
  • Mistake: Forgetting that 4 x 0 = 0.
    Why it happens: Thinking 0 means nothing.
    Fix: Remember: 0 groups of 4 = 0 legs.

Parent and carer guide

Parents and carers can help by:
  • Practising skip counting in 4s together
  • Using everyday objects like blocks or toys to show 4 groups
  • Playing a game where you say a number and the child multiplies it by 4
  • Encouraging the child to use drawings or arrays to show their thinking
  • Reinforcing that 4 x 0 = 0, and that 0 groups of anything is 0
Try asking questions like:
  • How many legs do 3 chairs have?
  • If you have 5 groups of 4, how many are there?
  • Can you draw 4 groups of 4 dots?

Practice questions

  1. How many legs do 2 chairs have?
  2. How many legs do 5 chairs have?
  3. How many legs do 8 chairs have?
  4. How many legs do 10 chairs have?
  5. How many legs do 12 chairs have?
Answers:
  1. 8 legs
  2. 20 legs
  3. 32 legs
  4. 40 legs
  5. 48 legs

FAQ

Why do we need to know the 4 times table?

Knowing the 4 times table helps you quickly work out how many legs, wheels, sides, or anything that comes in groups of 4. It's useful in maths, games, and real life!

What if I forget the 4 times table?

You can use repeated addition (like 4 + 4 + 4 = 12) or draw pictures to help you remember. You can also count in 4s to help!

How does the 4 times table help with building?

When building, you might need to know how many legs a group of chairs or tables needs. The 4 times table helps you work that out quickly!

Can I use the 4 times table for anything else?

Yes! You can use it for wheels on cars, sides on squares, or even sharing 4 cookies with friends.

What is 4 x 0?

4 x 0 = 0. If you have 0 groups of 4, you have 0 in total.

4 times table facts

Chair Legs 4 times table facts
4 × Answer
0 0
1 4
2 8
3 12
4 16
5 20
6 24
7 28
8 32
9 36
10 40
11 44
12 48