Count forward and backward
Preparing your practice…
Go beyond practice with Brilliant’s digital tutor, full interactive curriculum, personalized learning, and progress reports.
Count forward and backward: skill guide
| Objective | This mixed practice asks learners to identify the direction of a sequence before filling one or several blanks. |
|---|---|
| Grade | Grade 1 |
| Standard | CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.OA.C.5 |
| Difficulty | Developing · Abstract |
| Representation | Number sequence |
| Practice format | Interactive, account-free practice with immediate feedback |
Objective
This mixed practice asks learners to identify the direction of a sequence before filling one or several blanks.
What this practice covers
This mixed practice asks learners to identify the direction of a sequence before filling one or several blanks. Later problems may begin in the middle of a decade.
Standards alignment
Prepares for Common Core: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.OA.C.5 — Relate counting to addition and subtraction.
Who it’s for
This practice is for kindergarten and Grade 1 learners who count confidently through 20 and are ready to extend the same patterns through 100. The visual structure keeps tens visible while learners work with larger numerals.
What to know first
- Learners should recognize numerals through 20, count forward one number at a time, and understand that a full ten strip represents one group of ten.
Difficulty and scaffolding
Developing · Abstract stage
Problem representations
- Number sequence
Three worked examples
- 23, 24, __, 26 needs 25.
- 47, 46, __, 44 needs 45.
- 68, __, __, 71 needs 69 and 70.
Likely misconceptions
- Common mistakes include counting in the wrong direction, or skipping a decade number where a row crosses a ten, such as writing 80 after 69 instead of 70. Encourage learners to check the direction first, then name the tens and check the ones.
Hints and explanations
- 23, 24, __, 26 needs 25.
- 47, 46, __, 44 needs 45.
- 68, __, __, 71 needs 69 and 70.
What to practice next
Next, Complements of 20 shows 20 dots in two ten strips, split into blue and orange, and asks how many are orange.
Editorial review
Reviewed by Brilliant’s curriculum team. Exercises are generated within defined difficulty ranges and checked against verified answer rules.
Count forward and backward FAQs
Why practice one row at a time?
A short row keeps attention on the repeating ones pattern and the change at each new decade. It gives learners the benefit of a hundred chart without the visual load of all one hundred squares.
Should this practice be timed?
No. Accuracy and noticing structure matter more than speed. Fluency usually develops naturally after learners repeatedly connect a numeral to its place in a sequence or to groups of ten.
How can a learner tell which way a row counts?
Compare the first and last numbers, which are always shown. If the last number is larger, the row counts forward. If it is smaller, the row counts backward.
What should learners practice next?
Continue with place value, counting by tens, and addition or subtraction across a decade. These activities all build on seeing a two-digit number as tens and ones.