This is an alternating addition and subtraction series. Roman numbers alternate with Arabic numbers. In the Roman numeral pattern, each number decreases by 1. In the Arabic numeral pattern, each number increases by 1.
This is a simple division series; each number is one-half of the previous number.
In other terms to say, the number is divided by 2 successively to get the next result.
4/2 = 2
2/2 = 1
1/2 = 1/2
(1/2)/2 = 1/4
(1/4)/2 = 1/8 and so on.