Elementary School Math Quiz: Counting Up To 120
20 questions · exam conditions
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Counting Up To 120Question 1 of 20

What number is missing: 28, 29,  , 31?

29
30
31
32
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Elementary School Math Quiz

Elementary School Math Quiz: Counting Up To 120

Practice Counting Up To 120 in Elementary School Math with focused quiz questions that help you check what you know, review explanations, and build confidence with test-style prompts.

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Counting Up To 120, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for Elementary School Math.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

All questions

Question 1

What number is missing: 28, 29,  , 31?

  1. 29
  2. 30 (correct answer)
  3. 31
  4. 32
Explanation: When you see a row of numbers with a blank, you're working with a counting sequence. The trick is to figure out the pattern — how much are the numbers going up (or down) each time? Look at the numbers you already have: 28, 29,  , 31. Count them out loud: twenty-eight, twenty-nine... what comes next? Each number is going up by one, just like when you count normally. After 29 comes 30, and then 31 follows right after. So the missing number is 30, and it fits perfectly because 30 is one more than 29 and one less than 31. Now let's check the other choices. The number 29 is already in the sequence — it's sitting right before the blank, so it can't be the missing one. The number 31 is also already there, on the other side of the blank, so it's used up too. The number 32 comes after 31, so it's too big to fit in the middle of the row — it would jump past the spot you need to fill. A helpful strategy: whenever a number is missing in a counting list, just count slowly starting from the first number, pointing to each spot. When you reach the blank, the number you say out loud is your answer. Counting "28, 29, 30, 31" makes 30 pop right into place.

Question 2

Start at 47 and count on: 47, 48, 49,  .

  1. 48
  2. 49
  3. 50 (correct answer)
  4. 51
Explanation: When you "count on," you say the numbers in order, just like when you count from 1. Each number you say is exactly one more than the number before it. The trick is to look at the pattern already given and keep it going. Look at what you have: 47, 48, 49. Each number goes up by 1. So after 49, you add one more: 49 + 1 = 50. That means 50 comes next! Now let's see why the other choices don't fit. The number 48 is wrong because you already said it — it comes right after 47, not after 49. The number 49 is also wrong because that's the number right before the blank; you can't say the same number twice in a row when counting on. The number 51 skips ahead too far — it comes after 50, so you'd be jumping over a number instead of counting one step at a time. A good way to check yourself: whisper the numbers out loud in order — "47, 48, 49..." — and the very next word your mouth wants to say is the answer. When counting on, always add just 1 each time, and never repeat a number you've already counted.

Question 3

Count by 10s: 70, 80, 90,  .

  1. 91
  2. 95
  3. 100 (correct answer)
  4. 110
Explanation: When you "count by 10s," you're adding 10 each time you move to the next number. The trick is to watch the tens digit—it should go up by one—while the ones digit stays the same. Look at the pattern: 70, 80, 90. Each number jumps up by 10. So starting at 90, you add 10 more: 90 + 10 = 100. That's why 100 comes next—it continues the steady jump of 10 that you see in the whole sequence. Now let's look at why the other choices don't fit. 91 only adds 1 to 90, not 10—that's counting by 1s, not by 10s. 95 adds only 5 to 90, so it's counting by 5s instead of 10s. 110 skips too far ahead; it's what you'd get if you added 10 twice (going 90 → 100 → 110) and jumped right past the correct next number. A helpful way to check your work: when you count by 10s, the ones digit is always 0 (like the 0 in 70, 80, 90). Any answer ending in a different digit, like the 1 in 91 or the 5 in 95, can't be right. Just keep making the tens go up one step at a time, and you'll land on the correct number every time.

Question 4

Count by 10s: 80, 90, 100,  . What comes next?

  1. 101
  2. 105
  3. 110 (correct answer)
  4. 120
Explanation: When you "count by 10s," you're adding 10 each time you move to the next number. The trick is to look at the pattern already given: 80, 90, 100. Each number is exactly 10 more than the one before it — from 80 to 90 is +10, and from 90 to 100 is +10. So to find what comes next, just add 10 to the last number: 100 + 10 = 110. That's your answer! Now let's see why the other choices don't fit. 101 is what you get if you add only 1 instead of 10 — that's counting by 1s, not 10s. 105 jumps by only 5, which would be counting by 5s, not the 10s the question asks for. 120 skips a step entirely: it adds 20 to 100 instead of 10, so it lands on the number after the one we want (it would come after 110, not right after 100). A helpful trick for counting by 10s: watch the tens digit go up by one each time while the ones digit stays 0. Say them out loud like a rhythm — "eighty, ninety, one hundred, one hundred ten." When the numbers all end in 0, your next number should end in 0 too. Any answer ending in a different digit (like 101 or 105) is a clue you've slipped out of the 10s pattern.

Question 5

Look at the sequence: 18, 19,  , 21. What number is missing?

  1. 19
  2. 20 (correct answer)
  3. 21
  4. 22
Explanation: When you see a sequence like this, you're being asked to find the counting pattern. The best trick is to look at the numbers you can see and figure out how they change from one to the next. Here, the numbers go up by one each time: 18, then 19, then a blank, then 21. This is just plain counting! Since counting by ones after 19 gives you 20, and 20 comes right before 21, the missing number must be 20. You can double-check by saying the whole sequence out loud: "18, 19, 20, 21." It sounds smooth and correct, like counting on your fingers. Now let's look at why the other choices don't fit. The choice 19 is already shown in the sequence — you can't repeat a number you already have, because each spot needs a new number as you count up. The choice 21 is also already there, sitting at the very end, so it can't fill the middle blank too. The choice 22 is a number that comes after 21, so it's too big — it would break the pattern because 22 is larger than the number that follows the blank. A helpful strategy: whenever you see a blank in a number line, count out loud from the first number and stop at the blank. Your voice will naturally land on the right answer. Also, cross out any answer choices that are already in the sequence — the missing number is always a brand-new one!

Question 6

Look at the sequence: 58, 59,  . What number comes next?

  1. 57
  2. 58
  3. 60 (correct answer)
  4. 61
Explanation: When you see a sequence of numbers like this, your job is to figure out the pattern — the rule that tells you how to get from one number to the next. The easiest way is to look at how much the numbers change each step. Here, you start at 58 and then have 59. To get from 58 to 59, you count up by 1: 58 + 1 = 59. So the pattern is "add 1 each time," which is just counting forward! To find the next number, count one more from 59: 59 + 1 = 60. That's why 60 comes next. Now let's see why the other answers don't fit. The choice 57 goes the wrong direction — it counts backward from 58 instead of forward. Remember, the numbers are getting bigger, not smaller. The choice 58 repeats a number you already have; sequences like this keep moving to new numbers, they don't stay the same. The choice 61 skips ahead too far. It's the number that comes after 60, not right after 59 — you'd land on 61 only if you counted by 2s, but this pattern counts by 1s. A helpful strategy: whenever you get a counting sequence, ask yourself, "Are the numbers going up or down, and by how much?" Once you know the jump size, just keep applying it. For counting by 1s, saying the numbers out loud — "fifty-eight, fifty-nine, sixty" — makes the next number pop right out.

Question 7

Count by 10s: 80, 90, 100,  .

  1. 101
  2. 105
  3. 110 (correct answer)
  4. 120
Explanation: When you "count by 10s," you're adding 10 each time you jump to the next number. The trick is to watch how the tens digit grows while the ones digit stays at zero. Look at the pattern: 80, 90, 100... each number is exactly 10 bigger than the one before it. To find the missing number, start at 100 and add 10 more: 100 + 10 = 110. So the next number in the pattern is 110. Notice how it still ends in zero, just like every other number in the list — that's a clue you're counting by 10s correctly. Now let's see why the other choices don't fit. 101 is only 1 more than 100, which means you counted by 1s, not 10s. 105 jumps by 5, so that's counting by 5s — close, but not the right step size. 120 skips too far ahead; it's 20 more than 100, meaning you added 10 twice instead of once. The pattern only asks for the very next number, so you should land on 110, not overshoot it. A helpful tip: when you count by 10s, every number should end in the same ones digit (here, a zero), and only the tens place changes. If your answer ends in a different digit like 1 or 5, that's a warning sign you switched to counting by 1s or 5s by mistake.

Question 8

What number comes next: 108, 109,  ?

  1. 108
  2. 109
  3. 110 (correct answer)
  4. 111
Explanation: Whenever you see a question that gives you a list of numbers with a blank at the end, you're being asked to find the counting pattern. The best way to do this is to figure out how much the numbers grow each time, then add that same amount to the last number. Look at the numbers: 108, 109,   To get from 108 to 109, you count up by 1. So to fill in the blank, you keep counting up by 1 from 109. That gives you 109 + 1 = 110, which is why 110 comes next. Now let's see why the other choices don't work. The number 108 is where you started — you can't go backward, and it already had its turn. The number 109 is the number right before the blank; if you picked this, you would be repeating a number instead of counting forward. The number 111 skips too far ahead — it's what you'd land on if you counted up by 2 instead of 1, or if you counted one extra step past the answer. A helpful strategy: when counting forward, just say the numbers out loud in order — "one hundred eight, one hundred nine, one hundred ten." The next number in counting is always one more than the one before it. Watch out for the trap of repeating a number you already see or jumping ahead by two.

Question 9

Maya counts stickers: 112, 113, 114,  .

  1. 113
  2. 114
  3. 115 (correct answer)
  4. 116
Explanation: This question is all about counting forward by ones. When you see a list of numbers with a blank at the end, your job is to figure out the pattern. Here, each number goes up by exactly 1: from 112 to 113 is one more, from 113 to 114 is one more. So the pattern is "add 1 each time." To find the missing number, take the last number you know, which is 114, and count up one more: 114 + 1 = 115. That's why 115 fills the blank perfectly — it keeps the counting going in order. Now let's look at why the other answers don't work. 113 is a number you already counted — it comes before 114, not after it, so you'd be going backward. 114 is the number right in front of the blank; you can't repeat it, because in counting each number appears only once as you move forward. 116 skips ahead too far — it's what you'd get if you jumped by 2 (from 114 straight to 116) and left out 115 completely. A helpful trick: when you're counting up by ones and the numbers get big, just watch the last digit. Here it goes 2, 3, 4, _ — the next digit in order is 5, giving you 115. Always ask yourself, "What comes right after the last number?" and count up just one step.

Question 10

Count by 10s: 70, 80, 90,  .

  1. 91
  2. 95
  3. 100 (correct answer)
  4. 110
Explanation: When you "count by 10s," you add ten each time you move to the next number. The key thing to watch is the tens digit: it goes up by one, while the ones digit stays the same. Since you're counting by 10s starting from numbers ending in zero, every number in this pattern should also end in zero. Look at the pattern: 70, 80, 90. Each number is 10 more than the one before it. To find the next number, add 10 to 90: 90 + 10 = 100 So the missing number is 100. Notice how the pattern keeps ending in zero, which is a good sign you're counting by 10s correctly. Now let's check the other choices. The answer 91 comes from adding just 1 instead of 10 — that's counting by 1s, not 10s. The answer 95 jumps by 5, which is counting by 5s, a different pattern. The answer 110 skips too far ahead: it's 20 more than 90, as if you added 10 twice instead of once. A helpful trick: when counting by 10s, cover up the ones place and just count the tens like normal counting — 7, 8, 9, 10 — then put the zero back on to get 70, 80, 90, 100. If your answer stops ending in zero, you've made a mistake somewhere!

Question 11

What number comes next: 58, 59,  , 61?

  1. 59
  2. 60 (correct answer)
  3. 61
  4. 62
Explanation: When you see a list of numbers with a blank, you're looking at a counting sequence. The trick is to figure out the pattern: are the numbers going up by 1, by 2, or some other amount? Here, you count 58, 59, then a blank, then 61. Look at how the numbers grow: from 58 to 59 is one step up, and to get to 61 you need to fill in the number just before it. Counting forward, after 59 comes 60, and then 60 leads right into 61. So the blank is 60. Say it out loud: "fifty-eight, fifty-nine, sixty, sixty-one" — it flows perfectly! Now let's check why the others don't fit. Choosing 59 just repeats the number that's already there, but each number in a counting sequence should be new. Picking 61 copies the number that already comes after the blank — you can't have 61 twice in a row like "59, 61, 61." Choosing 62 skips too far ahead; 62 actually comes after 61, not before it, so it would break the order. A helpful strategy: whenever you have a missing number in a row, gently count on your fingers or whisper the numbers in order. The blank is always the number you'd naturally say next. Watch out for the tempting traps of repeating a number you already see or jumping ahead — the answer is usually the very next counting number.

Question 12

What number comes after 19 in counting?

  1. 29
  2. 18
  3. 20 (correct answer)
  4. 21
Explanation: This question tests 1st grade ability to count to 120, starting at any number less than 120 (CCSS.1.NBT.1). Students must know the counting sequence from 1 to 120 and be able to start counting at any number within that range. Important transitions occur at decade boundaries (29→30, 99→100) and in teen numbers (11-19). The stimulus asks for the number that comes after 19 in counting. Choice C is correct because after 19 comes 20, transitioning to the next decade. Choice A is a common error where students confuse teen numbers with decade numbers (19 vs 29), which happens because teen numbers have unusual names that don't match their structure. To help students: Use hundreds charts for visual reference; practice counting aloud daily, starting from different numbers; emphasize decade transitions explicitly (29→30, 99→100); provide practice reading and writing numerals with immediate feedback; use physical objects organized in groups of 10 to show quantities; teach teen numbers as 'ten and  ' (thirteen = 10 and 3); practice skip counting by 10s regularly; connect counting to real contexts (pages, calendar dates, collections).

Question 13

Write the numeral for sixty-five.

  1. 56
  2. 65 (correct answer)
  3. 66
  4. 60
Explanation: This question tests 1st grade ability to count to 120, starting at any number less than 120 (CCSS.1.NBT.1). Students must know the counting sequence from 1 to 120 and be able to start counting at any number within that range. Key skills include recognizing what number comes next, reading numerals accurately, writing numerals correctly, and representing quantities with written numerals. The stimulus asks to write the numeral for sixty-five. Choice B is correct because the numeral shown reads as 'sixty-five' which is 65. Choice A is a common error where students reverse digits when writing numerals (56 vs 65), which happens because reversing digits is common when writing is still developing. To help students: Use hundreds charts for visual reference; practice counting aloud daily, starting from different numbers; emphasize decade transitions explicitly (29→30, 99→100); provide practice reading and writing numerals with immediate feedback; use physical objects organized in groups of 10 to show quantities; teach teen numbers as 'ten and  ' (thirteen = 10 and 3); practice skip counting by 10s regularly; connect counting to real contexts (pages, calendar dates, collections).

Question 14

What number comes after 99 in counting?

  1. 109109
  2. 100100 (correct answer)
  3. 8989
  4. 101101
Explanation: Counting up by one from 99 gives 100. 109 mistakes the jump as adding ten instead of one. 89 comes from misreading or reversing the digits in 99. 101 skips ahead one number too far, past the correct next count. Only 100 is exactly one more than 99.

Question 15

Maya writes pages: 108, 109,  , 111.

  1. 109
  2. 110 (correct answer)
  3. 111
  4. 112
Explanation: When you see a list of numbers with a blank in the middle, you're looking at a counting pattern. The trick is to notice how the numbers change from one to the next. Here, Maya's pages go 108, 109,  , 111. Each number jumps up by one: 108 → 109 is "add 1," so the pattern is simply counting forward. To find the missing page, keep counting: after 109 comes 110, and after 110 comes 111. That fits perfectly! So the blank must be 110 — it comes right after 109 and right before 111, keeping the count smooth and in order. Now let's check why the others don't work. 109 is wrong because that number is already written right before the blank — you can't use the same page twice in a row when counting up. 111 is wrong because 111 already appears at the end of the list; the blank comes before it, so it must be smaller. 112 is wrong because it's too big — 112 would come after 111, but the blank sits before 111, so the missing number has to be less than 111. A helpful trick for these: read the numbers out loud in order like you're counting your steps. If it sounds smooth with no skips and no repeats, you've found the right number. Always check that your answer is bigger than the number before it and smaller than the number after it.

Question 16

Find the missing number: 28, 29,  , 31.

  1. 29
  2. 30 (correct answer)
  3. 31
  4. 32
Explanation: When you see a list of numbers with a blank, you're working with a number sequence. The trick is to figure out the pattern — how the numbers change from one to the next — and then use that pattern to fill in the gap. Look at the numbers you already have: 28, 29,  , 31. Each number is going up by 1 as you count forward, just like when you count out loud. After 28 comes 29, and after 31 you'd say 32. So what comes right after 29 and right before 31? Counting up, 29 → 30 → 31, which means the missing number is 30. Now let's check the other choices. Picking 29 repeats the number that's already sitting right before the blank — but a counting sequence keeps moving forward, so you can't reuse it. Choosing 31 copies the number that comes after the blank, so it would put 31 in the list twice, which breaks the count. Selecting 32 jumps too far ahead — 32 is the number that would come after 31, not before it, so it doesn't fit in the space between 29 and 31. A helpful strategy: when a number is missing in the middle, point to the number just before it and count one more. Whisper the numbers out loud — "28, 29, 30, 31" — and your ear will often catch the missing one before your pencil does!

Question 17

Sofia starts at 73: 73, 74, 75, 76,  .

  1. 75
  2. 76
  3. 77 (correct answer)
  4. 78
Explanation: This question is all about counting forward by ones. When you see a list of numbers with a blank at the end, your job is to figure out the pattern and keep it going. Here, each number goes up by exactly 1: from 73 to 74, then 74 to 75, then 75 to 76. So each step adds one more. To find the missing number, look at the last number you have, which is 76, and count up one more: 76 + 1 = 77. That's why 77 fills the blank perfectly — it keeps the counting pattern going. Now let's check the wrong choices. The number 75 is already in the list, so it can't be the next one — you don't repeat a number when counting forward. The number 76 is also already there (it's the last number before the blank), so it would mean you stopped counting instead of moving ahead. The number 78 skips ahead too far — it jumps from 76 all the way to 78, which would mean adding 2 instead of 1, breaking the pattern. A good trick to remember: when you count forward by ones, each number is just "one more" than the number before it. Point to the last number, say it out loud, then say the very next number. Practicing counting out loud from any starting point — like 73, 74, 75 — helps you spot the pattern quickly on the test.

Question 18

What number comes before 70?

  1. 69 (correct answer)
  2. 71
  3. 60
  4. 79
Explanation: This question tests 1st grade ability to count to 120, starting at any number less than 120 (CCSS.1.NBT.1). Students must know the counting sequence from 1 to 120 and be able to start counting at any number within that range. Key skills include recognizing what number comes next, reading numerals accurately, writing numerals correctly, and representing quantities with written numerals. The stimulus asks for the number that comes before 70. Choice A is correct because 69 comes immediately before 70 in the counting sequence. Choice B is a common error where students confuse before and after, saying 71 instead, which happens because the counting sequence to 120 is extensive and requires practice. To help students: Use hundreds charts for visual reference; practice counting aloud daily, starting from different numbers; emphasize decade transitions explicitly (29→30, 99→100); provide practice reading and writing numerals with immediate feedback; use physical objects organized in groups of 10 to show quantities; teach teen numbers as 'ten and  ' (thirteen = 10 and 3); practice skip counting by 10s regularly; connect counting to real contexts (pages, calendar dates, collections).

Question 19

Count on from 47: 47, 48, 49,  .

  1. 48
  2. 49
  3. 50 (correct answer)
  4. 51
Explanation: When you "count on," you say numbers in order, just like when you count out loud. Each number is exactly one more than the number before it. The trick is to look at the pattern already given and keep it going. Let's look at what you already have: 47, 48, 49. Notice how each number goes up by 1: from 47 you add 1 to get 48, add 1 again to get 49. So what comes right after 49? You add 1 more: 49 + 1 = 50. That's why 50 fills the blank perfectly. Now let's check why the other choices don't work. 48 is a number you already said — it comes right after 47, not after 49, so it's too early in the count. 49 is the number sitting right before the blank, and you can't repeat it; counting always moves forward to a new number. 51 skips over 50 entirely — that would be like counting 49, then jumping to 51 and forgetting a number, so it's too big by one. A helpful strategy: whenever you see "count on," just point at the last number given and ask yourself, "What is one more?" You can even count on your fingers starting from that number. Keep going by ones and you'll never lose your place — and remember, the answer is always bigger than the last number shown, never the same or skipped ahead.

Question 20

What number is missing: 18, 19,  , 21?

  1. 19
  2. 20 (correct answer)
  3. 21
  4. 22
Explanation: When you see a row of numbers with a blank, you're being asked to find a counting pattern. The trick is to look at how the numbers change as you move from left to right. Here, the sequence goes 18, 19, __, 21. Each number is exactly one more than the number before it: 18 becomes 19 by adding 1, and 21 comes right after the blank. So the missing number has to come after 19 and before 21. Counting up from 19, the very next number is 20. You can check it: 18, 19, 20, 21 — each step adds 1, and the pattern holds perfectly. That's why 20 is correct. Now look at why the others don't work. The choice 19 is wrong because 19 is already sitting to the left of the blank — you can't repeat a number that's already there. The choice 21 is wrong for the same reason: 21 is already shown at the end of the row, so it can't also fill the middle spot. The choice 22 is wrong because 22 comes after 21, but the blank is before 21 — it's too big and would break the counting order. A helpful strategy: whenever a number is missing from a counting list, just count out loud from the number before the blank. Saying "18, 19, 20, 21" makes the missing number pop right out. Always double-check that your answer makes the whole list go up by the same amount each time.