Skip Counting

Free interactive math game: Skip Counting — By 2, 5, 10. Part of the Learning Numbers category on MathKite.

Example problems

Taken from the generator that powers this exercise. A fresh set appears every time the page is opened, and the printable worksheet holds ten of them.

  1. 50, 55, 60, ?, 70 — Count by 5s. What is the missing number?
  2. 70, 75, 80, ?, 90 — Count by 5s. What is the missing number?
  3. 62, 64, 66, ?, 70 — Count by 2s. What is the missing number?
  4. 30, ?, 40, 45, 50 — Count by 5s. What is the missing number?

About this exercise

Recognizing a counting pattern and continuing it — the groundwork for multiplication tables.

How to solve it

Take two numbers that sit next to each other in the sequence and subtract to find the step. Then apply that step to the number beside the gap.

Worked example

In 15, ?, 25 the two known values are ten apart across two steps, so each step is 5 and the missing number is 15 + 5 = 20.

Common mistake

Adding the step to the wrong neighbor. Check the answer against both sides of the gap — it should fit going forwards and backwards.