Count by 42 (Skip Counting by 42s)

Count by 42

Here we will show you how to count by 42, discuss counting by 42 patterns, and tell you why knowing how to count by 42 matters. To start off, note that Count by 42 means counting in 42s, or count by forty-twos, and it is also called skip counting by 42.

How to count by 42
Normally, we would count by 1 like this: 1, 2, 3, 4, etc., but when we count by 42, we count 42, 84, 126, 168, and so on.

In other words, to count in intervals of 42 or skip counting by 42, we start with 42 and then add 42 to get the next number, and then continue adding 42 to the previous number to keep counting by 42, like this:

42
42 + 42 = 84
84 + 42 = 126
126 + 42 = 168
168 + 42 = 210
...

You can of course skip count by 42 forever, so it is impossible to make a list of all numbers, but below is a Count by 42 Chart of the first 100 numbers to get you started.

Looking at the chart above, you will see that the first column has the first ten numbers you get when you skip count by 42, the second column has the next ten numbers you get when you skip count by 42, and so forth.

Count by 42 Patterns
We organized the Skip Counting by 42s Chart above in 10 rows and 10 columns so you can easily identify patterns.

Skip counting always creates patterns. Figuring out these patterns may help you if want to count by 42, but don't have the Counting by 42s Chart above. Obviously, one pattern with counting by 42s is that the number increases by 42.

Furthermore, if you look at each row above, each number in the row has the same last digit (ones place). That means that every tenth number has the same last digit.

If you look down the columns, you will see that the last digit (ones place) repeats itself in blocks of 5 over and over. The pattern of the last digit when you count by 42 goes 2, 4, 6, 8, 0 and 2, 4, 6, 8, 0 and so on for as long as you count by 42.

Why Count by 42?
We think that understanding and learning about skip counting by 42 is important, because it teaches you how the arithmetic operations fit together. Below are some examples of what we mean.

When you count by forty-two, you are also creating a list of multiples of 42 that you can use in math when you need the least common multiple. 42 times n equals the nth multiple or skip count of 42.

When you skip count by 42, you are also creating a list of numbers that 42 is divisible by. On top of that, skip counting by 42 is the same as making the 42 times table.

Skip Counting
Need to skip count by another number? Enter another number for us to skip count for you.

Count by 43
Here is the next number on our list that we used to skip count.