--- title: "Counting forwards and backwards (age 9+)" description: "Count forwards and backwards in steps of powers of 10 (10, 100, 1000, 10,000, 100,000) for any given number up to 1,000,000" canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/counting-forwards-and-backwards-age-9-mt_tAtMET4EIU source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/counting-forwards-and-backwards-age-9-mt_tAtMET4EIU.md retrieved: 2026-10-19 --- > **Agent view.** This is the Markdown twin of the page, for tools and assistants. > When to use this site, and the call that answers each job: https://lightmysky.com/agent-instructions.md > API description (OpenAPI 3.1): https://lightmysky.com/openapi.json · Authentication: https://lightmysky.com/auth.md > Pricing: https://lightmysky.com/pricing.md · Catalog: https://lightmysky.com/llms.txt · Full catalog: https://lightmysky.com/llms-full.txt > Every machine-readable file on this domain: https://lightmysky.com/.well-known/ai-catalog.json > Ask for Markdown with `Accept: text/markdown`, a `.md` address, or `?mode=agent`. # Counting forwards and backwards (age 9+) Count forwards and backwards in steps of powers of 10 (10, 100, 1000, 10,000, 100,000) for any given number up to 1,000,000 Subject: Mathematics · Area: Number Representation & Place Value · Ages 9 to 10 Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/counting-forwards-and-backwards-age-9-mt_tAtMET4EIU ## Ready when they can - Count on in 10,000s from 462,000 - Count back in 100,000s from 800,000 - Identify the next three terms: 375,000; 475,000; 575,000; ... ## Lesson: Counting in big steps Counting by 1s takes forever with big numbers. Instead, you can count in steps of 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000, or 100,000. Find the digit in that step's place, then add or subtract from it. The rest of the number usually stays the same. *(drawing: Start at 462,000 and jump by 10,000 each time. Only the ten-thousands digit changes: 462,000, 472,000, 482,000, 492,000.)* **Example.** Zara starts at 930,000 and counts back in 100,000s: 930,000, 830,000, 730,000, 630,000. Each jump only changes the hundred-thousands digit. **Example.** When a step pushes a digit past 9, the next digit up changes too. Counting on in 10,000s from 195,000 gives 205,000. Counting back in 10,000s from 205,000 gives 195,000. Check the next place when a digit passes 9. **Recap.** Counting in big steps means jumping straight to the right digit, forward or backward, and watching for digits that roll into the next place. ## Practice 17 questions on this page, each with its working shown. ## Needs first - [1000 More or Less](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/1000-more-or-less-mt_9XVFje6Tyr) - [Counting forwards and backwards](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/counting-forwards-and-backwards-mt_aHAM29nidj) - [Counting forwards and backwards (age 6+)](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/counting-forwards-and-backwards-age-6-mt_OkSJfrmFb_) - [Place Value × 10 Pattern](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/place-value-10-pattern-mt_QqG6IdmTSE) ## Opens up - [Negative numbers in context](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/negative-numbers-in-context-mt_1KkvzwYxbR)