Courses
Courses for Kids
Free study material
Offline Centres
More
Store Icon
Store

How To Count By Ten in Maths

Reviewed by:
ffImage
hightlight icon
highlight icon
highlight icon
share icon
copy icon

How to Count by Ten with Number Patterns and Examples

Learning to count is fun! It can be done by learning from songs, pictures or any other fun activities. Three stages should be followed to learn this ability most quickly and efficiently as possible. When introducing counting by tens, let us start with the simplest activities.


Introduction to Counting


Introduction to Counting


After that, move on to activities where we may see and hear the numbers. Start thinking in tens as you enter the third phase. This is assisting kids in connecting their understanding of ten counting to real-world scenarios. It has been discovered that numerous activities are the most successful at imparting this skill.


Counting by Tens

Because humans have ten fingers, our number system is centred around the number 10.

The ability to think and compute in tens is advantageous for numerous tasks, including estimation, problem-solving, mental addition and subtraction, and many more. Counting in tens is enjoyable! Additionally, kids will have fun playing these games and learn a lot from them. It can be learned from the counting by 10s chart. When we count by tens, we increase a number by tenths of a unit each time.


1. Using Numerals To Count By Tens

10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90


2. Counting by Tens and Number Patterns

The numbers form a pattern when you count by tens. Every number has a zero at the end. When you count, the first few digits correspond to the numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.). The digits 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, etc. are produced by this pattern. The numbers in the dark green boxes count by 10.


Counting by 10


Counting by 10


How to Count by 10?

  • Create 10 object groups.

  • Start counting out loud still ten, as one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

  • Similarly, we can start the counting as 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100.

  • It can be learned from the hundred charts also.

The fact that the sum is the same whether you count in 1s or 10s is made tangible by observing these recurring groupings of 10. The counting sequence "10, 20, 30, 40..." can be practised. A hundred chart is another helpful tool for planning and visualising groups of ten as you count by tens.


Count to 100 by 10s

We can learn it by learning the count to 100 by 10s song which is fun and easy to learn.


The number line shows the series of numbers. Children should count the numbers out loud by seeing the image as 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100.


Count to 100 by 10s


Count to 100 by 10s



Skip Count by 10

Usually, we count as 1,2,3,4,5…. But here we will learn something different. Here, we are going to learn counting by skipping. In this, we skip the 9 steps and straight away jump to the 10th. And we continue the counting as 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100.


Skip Count by 10


Skip Count by 10



Tens Number Line

Counting by tens can be learned by using the tens number line which is easy to understand. The number line shows the series of numbers. Children should count the numbers out loud by seeing the image as 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100.


Tens Number Line


Tens Number Line


Solved Example


The Child likes Collecting Bindis


The Child likes Collecting Bindis


1. (a) How many packets does she have?

Ans: Six

(b) So how many bindis in all?

Ans: 10 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 10 = 60

60 bindis in all.

2. Complete the series:

10,20,_,_,_,60,_,_,_,_

Ans: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100


Practice Questions

1. Complete the skip counting series by 10s:

(i) 20 , 30, ____, ____, ____, ____.

Ans: 20, 30, 40, 50, 60,70


(ii) ____, ____, 40, ____,60.

Ans: 20, 30, 40, 50


Summary

In this article, we have learned how we can count to 10 easily. We have seen an activity, in which we can learn counting by using either a chart or by reading numerals. Later on, we have seen the concept of skip counting. A skip count of 10s involves either adding 10 to the preceding number or jumping by 10. Every number is 10 more than the one before it. The counting sequence "10, 20, 30, 40..." can be practised to improve fluency when your youngster has realised that counting by tens indicates you're counting several groups of ten more quickly.

FAQs on How To Count By Ten in Maths

1. What does it mean to count by ten?

To count by ten means to add 10 to the previous number each time instead of adding 1. This is also called skip counting by 10.

  • Start at any number.
  • Add 10 each time.
  • Example: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50.
This method helps students understand place value and recognize patterns in multiples of ten.

2. How do you count by tens step by step?

To count by tens step by step, you repeatedly add 10 to the starting number. Follow these steps:

  • Step 1: Choose a starting number (for example, 0).
  • Step 2: Add 10 → 0 + 10 = 10.
  • Step 3: Keep adding 10 each time.
Example: 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50. Each number increases by 10, forming a clear counting pattern.

3. What are the first 10 numbers when counting by tens?

The first 10 numbers when counting by tens starting from 10 are 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100. These numbers are called multiples of 10 because each number equals 10 multiplied by a whole number.

  • 10 × 1 = 10
  • 10 × 2 = 20
  • 10 × 3 = 30
This pattern continues infinitely by adding 10 each time.

4. Why is counting by tens important?

Counting by tens is important because it helps students understand place value and the base-10 number system. It shows how numbers increase in the tens place while the ones digit stays 0.

  • Builds mental math skills
  • Helps with addition and subtraction
  • Supports understanding of multiplication by 10
It is a key early maths skill for learning larger numbers.

5. What pattern do you notice when counting by tens?

When counting by tens, the pattern is that the ones digit is always 0 and the tens digit increases by 1 each time. For example:

  • 10 (1 ten)
  • 20 (2 tens)
  • 30 (3 tens)
This repeating pattern makes skip counting by 10 easy to recognize and predict.

6. Can you count by tens starting from a number other than 0?

Yes, you can count by tens starting from any number by adding 10 repeatedly. For example, starting at 5:

  • 5
  • 5 + 10 = 15
  • 15 + 10 = 25
  • 25 + 10 = 35
This works for any starting number and helps strengthen addition skills.

7. What is skip counting by 10?

Skip counting by 10 means counting forward by adding 10 each time instead of counting every single number. Example:

  • 0, 10, 20, 30, 40
It is called "skip counting" because you skip the numbers in between, such as 1–9, 11–19, and so on.

8. How is counting by tens related to multiplication?

Counting by tens is the same as multiplying by 10. Each step represents another group of ten.

  • 10, 20, 30, 40
  • 10 × 1 = 10
  • 10 × 2 = 20
  • 10 × 3 = 30
This shows that skip counting by 10 builds the foundation for understanding the 10 times table.

9. How do you count backwards by tens?

To count backwards by tens, subtract 10 each time from the starting number. Example starting at 100:

  • 100
  • 100 − 10 = 90
  • 90 − 10 = 80
  • 80 − 10 = 70
This method helps develop subtraction skills and number sense.

10. What are common mistakes when counting by tens?

A common mistake when counting by tens is changing the ones digit instead of keeping it at 0 when starting from a multiple of 10. Other mistakes include:

  • Adding 1 instead of 10
  • Skipping a number in the pattern
  • Confusing counting by 10 with counting by 100
Remember that each step must increase or decrease by exactly 10.