Why Is Skip Counting So Important?

 

Since I teach high school, I don't understand why I get students who  use skip counting instead of multiplication.  In fact, I couldn't understand why it was used at all but after learning more about number sequencing, I am beginning to fathom why it is taught. Let's begin with the definition of skip counting itself.  Skip counting is when someone counts forward or backwards by units other than one.  It might be counting by two or five or any other number.  In reality, skip counting is just naming the multiples of a number, usually from least to greatest. When I was in elementary, we were told to count by 2s or 3s or what ever number.  It was never referred to as skip counting.

In math, skip counting is used to tell time, count money, and provides the foundation for other mathematical skills.   In addition, it provides strategies to use in addition, subtraction, multiplication or division. It also helps develop number sense so when students are ready move on to higher level mathematical concepts, they are able to make the transition. Skip counting can also be used with lowest common multiple, greatest common factor, factoring, prime and composite numbers, and fractions.

In reality, we use skip counting all the time outside of the classroom.  If my students have an event such as running the student store, they often arrange change in groups such as four quarters to make counting easier but they use skip counting to count the left over change.  When they are counting bills such as fives, tens, or twenties, they skip count as they look for the total. When something arrives such as a box of  books, we usually count by twos or fives to see if we got them all.  

Then in the classroom, one way we teach students to find the least common multiple is to list the multiples for each number until you see the same number in each list.  This is a practical application of skip counting.  Another way is to list multiple of numbers smaller than a certain number such as for 6 and 12 I can list the multiples of 2, 3, and 6 to see what the greatest common factor.  every time we list multiples in any situation like this, you are skip counting. When looking at a analog clock, we usually skip count in 5's until we get to the closest 5.  On the other hand, if we have a double line of students, we'll count by two's to make sure they are all there.  

Furthermore, we see skip counting in certain sports such as basketball.   Every time, the player makes a normal basket, two points is added to the score which is counting by two.  If the player makes a basket from the 3 point line, they get three points which is counting by three.  So yes, one can go back and forth but the point is that the person keeping score is skip counting from the current score and based on the type of basket, the skip counting begins from there.

Or if we are trying to figure out what the date is going to be in two weeks, we skip count by 7s.  If today is the 14th, then in two weeks it will be the 28th.  Yes, I've had to do that a few times, especially this year because the prom was May 7th, Graduation was one week later, May 14, and the kids last day of school will be the 21st of May.  Skip counting by 7.

So these are some reasons why learning to skip counting is so important.  It helps advance number sense while building a stronger mathematical foundation.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.