Basic Algebra and Geometry Made a Bit Easier Lesson Plans:
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Lesson 5: Skip Counting
It's very important to be able to do skip counting in various ways. For example, you should be able to start on 4, and then count by skipping two numbers. This would result in a pattern of 4, 7, 10, 13, etc. Stated another way, you are starting on 4, and adding 3 each time. Many test questions involve patterns of this type.
Don't forget to watch the embedded YouTube video clip for this lesson at the bottom of the page.
Make sure you feel comfortable counting in various ways. For example, try starting on 2, and adding 5 each time. The pattern will be 2, 7, 12, 17, etc. Try starting on 3, and adding 4 each time. The pattern will be 3, 7, 11, 15, 19, etc. It's important that you can do this with ease, starting on any selected number, and adding any selected number.
If you start on a number, and then form a pattern by adding that same number, the result is a list of multiples of that number. For example, if you start on 2, and form a pattern by adding 2, you'll get 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, etc. These are all multiples of 2. Try it starting on 6 and adding 6 each time. You'll get 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, etc. These are all multiples of 6.
Don't get confused about listing multiples of a number, and skip counting in general. If you start on a number, and form a pattern by adding a different number, you are just skip counting. If you start on a number and form a pattern by adding that same number, you are listing multiples of that number. Understanding both of these is very important.
Many questions involve finding the missing number in a pattern of numbers. All you need to do is determine what number you are counting by. Here are some examples:
6, 9, 12, ___, 18, 21. We're skipping two numbers, or stated another way, we're counting by 3s, or adding 3 to each number. The missing number is 15.
7, 14, 21, ___, 35, 42. Here we are listing multiples of 7. We started on 7, and we're adding that same number (7) to each number. The missing number is 28.
Make up problems like this for yourself, and don't move ahead until you are very comfortable with this topic. Make sure that you choose a variety of numbers to start on, and a variety of number to form patterns with.
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