Skip Counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s

Grade 2 · Math · Study Guide

Learn to count faster by skipping numbers in patterns of 2, 5, and 10.

Skip counting is like jumping on a number line! Instead of counting one number at a time, you jump over some numbers. When you skip count by 2s, you say every other number: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. Think of it as counting pairs of shoes or socks.

Skip counting by 5s goes: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30. You can use your fingers to help — each hand has 5 fingers. Count your fingers by fives and you are skip counting! This skill helps a lot when counting nickels.

Skip counting by 10s is the fastest: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50. Each jump is a whole group of ten. When you count dimes or stacks of ten blocks, you are skip counting by 10s. These three skip counting patterns are the building blocks for multiplication later on!

Key terms

Skip counting

Counting by jumping over numbers in equal steps

Pattern

A sequence of numbers that follows a rule

Number line

A line with numbers placed in order from least to greatest

Flashcards

Skip count by 2s to 10

2, 4, 6, 8, 10

Skip count by 5s to 25

5, 10, 15, 20, 25

Skip count by 10s to 50

10, 20, 30, 40, 50

What type of numbers do you land on when skip counting by 2s?

Even numbers (2, 4, 6, 8...)

Skip counting by 5s — what digit do answers always end in?

0 or 5

What comes after 25 when counting by 5s?

30

Practice questions

1. What comes next in this pattern? 10, 20, 30, ___

   1. 35
   2. 40
   3. 45
   4. 50
   Show answer

   Answer: 40

   Adding 10 each time: 10, 20, 30, 40.

2. Which list shows skip counting by 5s?

   1. 5, 10, 16, 20
   2. 5, 10, 15, 20
   3. 5, 9, 13, 17
   4. 5, 11, 17, 23
   Show answer

   Answer: 5, 10, 15, 20

   Each number is 5 more than the last.

3. Skip counting by 2s always lands on even numbers.

   Show answer

   Answer: True

   When you add 2 each time starting from 2, you always get an even number.

4. Skip counting by 2s: 2, 4, 6, ___, 10

   Show answer

   Answer: 8

   The pattern adds 2 each time: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10.

5. Sara skip counts by 10s starting at 10. What is the 4th number she says?

   1. 14
   2. 30
   3. 40
   4. 50
   Show answer

   Answer: 40

   10 (1st), 20 (2nd), 30 (3rd), 40 (4th).

Fun facts

• When you clap in a rhythm, you are skip counting with your hands!
• A spider has 8 legs — you can count spider legs by 2s: 2, 4, 6, 8.

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