Skip Counting

In Mathematics, we have seen natural numbers counting from 1,2,3,4,5,6….. But skip counting means adding the same number other than 1 every time to get a new number. We are habitual of reading numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5…..easily, but skip counting will increase your number knowledge. Skip counting is basically used in multiplication tables. Skip counting helps in fluency in calculations. So let us study what is skip counting in detail.

What is Skip Counting?

The way of counting a number, not in a natural way but counting numbers by missing the number which comes next to the previous one every time. In skip counting, we are excluding some digits while counting. Skip counting is similar to multiplication tables. For example 1, 3, 5, … In this, we are skipping one number after the previous one to get the next number in skip counting.

Skip counting will help kids to work on with large numbers and they can memorize their tables easily.

Skip Counting by 2

In skip counting by 2 we will be adding 2 to the previous number. 

Here is an example of counting by 2 on a number line. Let us start our counting by 0, the next number will be 0 + 2 = 2, then, 2 + 2 = 4, then 4 + 2 = 6, then 6 + 2 = 8, and then, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and so on.

Here we can observe that skip counting by two represents alternate numbers skipping 1 number in between two numbers.

We started our counting from 0 so we got the series of even numbers i.e.

2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26,28…….so on.

If we start our counting from 1 we will get a series of odd numbers i.e.

3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29…….so on.

Skip counting by 3

In skip counting by 3 we will be adding 3 to the previous number. In this process, we will be skipping two numbers in between.

Let us start our counting by 0, the next number will be 0 + 3 = 3, then, 3 + 3 = 6, then 6 + 3 = 9, then 9 + 3 = 12, and so on.we get the series as 

0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27…...so on.

The below grid represents skip counting by three numbers in pink.

With the help of this number grid, it is easy to see which number will come next and that we are skipping out two numbers each time.

Skip Counting by 4

In skip counting by 4 we will be adding 4 to the previous number. In this process we will be skipping three numbers in between two numbers.

The below grid represents skip counting by 4 numbers in orange.

With the help of this number grid, it is easy to see which number will come next and that we are skipping out three numbers each time.

Skip Counting by 5

In skip counting by 5, we will be adding 5 to the previous number. We get the series,

5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60,......so on.

Skip counting by 5, a child can count using multiples of 5.

The below grid represents skip counting by 5 number series in yellow color.

Skip Counting by 10

In skip counting by 10 we will be adding 10 to the previous number. We get the series,

10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60,......so on.

The below grid represents skip counting by 10 number series in blue color.

Skip Counting by 100

In skip counting by 100, we will be adding 100 to the previous number. We get the series,

100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600,.......so on.

Skip Counting Chart

Now we can express skip counting from 2 to 10 in the below skip counting chart. It also represents multiplication tables of 2 to 10.

Skip Counting by Larger Numbers

As we get acquainted with these skip counting we can perform skip counting with larger numbers starting with any random numbers.

For example:

• Skip counting by 30 starting from 50

50,80,110,140, 170, 200……..

• Skip counting by 100 starting from 217

217, 317, 417, 517, 617, 717……..

Solved Examples

Skip counting by 2s, starting from 67.

Solution:

We will start the series by 67.

Add 2 to 67

67 + 2 = 69

Add 2 to previous number 69 

69 + 2 = 71

Keep on adding 2 to previous number we get

67, 69, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79….so on

Pictorially it will be represented as

Example 2 : Skip counting by 5s, starting from 119

Solution:

We will start the series by 119.

Add 5 to 119

119 + 5 = 124

Add 5 to previous number 124

124 + 5 =129

Keep on adding 5 to previous number we get

119, 124, 129, 134, 139, 144, 149,.....so on.

Pictorially it will be represented as

Quiz Time

1.Skip counting by 3 to fill the empty circles of the caterpillar.

2. Skip count by 10 and fill the empty spaces.