Counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s

Grade 1 · Math · Study Guide

Learn how to skip count by 2s, 5s, and 10s to count faster.

Skip counting means counting forward by a number other than 1. Instead of counting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, we can count faster by skipping numbers!

When we count by 2s, we skip every other number: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 ... This is like counting pairs of things, such as shoes or mittens.

When we count by 5s, we count: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 ... If you look at a clock, the minute marks go by 5s. Your fingers also come in groups of 5, so counting by 5s is like counting hands.

When we count by 10s, we count: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 ... This is the fastest way to count big groups. Dimes are worth 10 cents each, so counting dimes means counting by 10s.

Skip counting helps us add quickly and understand multiplication later on. A number line or a hundreds chart can help you see the pattern. Notice how each pattern lands on certain numbers — multiples of 2, 5, or 10.

Practice by clapping or stomping each time you say a number when skip counting!

Key terms

skip counting
Counting forward by a number other than 1, such as by 2s, 5s, or 10s
even numbers
Numbers you land on when you count by 2s, such as 2, 4, 6, 8, 10
pattern
A series of numbers that follow a rule, like adding the same number each time
number line
A line with numbers in order that helps us count and skip count
multiples
Numbers you get when you skip count — multiples of 5 are 5, 10, 15, 20, etc.

Flashcards

Skip counting
Counting by a number other than 1, like 2, 5, or 10
Count by 2s from 2 to 10
2, 4, 6, 8, 10
Count by 5s from 5 to 30
5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30
Count by 10s from 10 to 60
10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60
What comes after 14 when counting by 2s?
16
What comes after 25 when counting by 5s?
30
What comes after 70 when counting by 10s?
80
When counting by 2s, do you say odd numbers?
No — you only land on even numbers like 2, 4, 6, 8, 10

Questions

  1. What comes next when counting by 2s: 2, 4, 6, 8, ___?

    1. 9
    2. 10
    3. 12
    4. 7
    Show answer

    Answer: 10

    Counting by 2s: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. Each number is 2 more than the one before.

  2. When counting by 5s: 5, 10, 15, ___, 25.

    Show answer

    Answer: 20

    Counting by 5s: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25. Each number is 5 more than the previous one.

  3. What comes next when counting by 10s: 10, 20, 30, ___?

    1. 31
    2. 35
    3. 40
    4. 100
    Show answer

    Answer: 40

    Counting by 10s: 10, 20, 30, 40. Each number is 10 more than the one before.

  4. When counting by 2s, you will say the number 7.

    Show answer

    Answer: False

    When counting by 2s, you say 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 — these are even numbers. 7 is odd, so you skip it.

  5. You have 3 groups of 10 stickers. How many stickers do you have in all?

    1. 13
    2. 3
    3. 30
    4. 100
    Show answer

    Answer: 30

    3 groups of 10 = 10 + 10 + 10 = 30. Counting by 10s: 10, 20, 30.

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