Counting Backwards from 10

Most of the time we count up: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. But we can also count down, starting at a bigger number and going smaller: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Counting backwards is what rockets do before they blast off! 3, 2, 1, liftoff!

Every number has a number that comes just before it. Counting backwards means saying those numbers in order from big to small. After 10 comes 9. After 9 comes 8. Keep subtracting 1 and you will arrive at 1. Counting backwards is the same as counting forwards — just in reverse order.

Start at 10. Go backwards: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. You just counted down ten numbers. Try it again with your eyes closed. You can also count backwards from any number. From 5: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. From 7: 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Counting backwards feels silly at first but it gets easier with practice.

Counting backwards is the first step toward subtraction. When you take away 1 from 10, you land on 9. Take away another 1 and you land on 8. Each time you count backwards one step, it is like doing a tiny subtraction. Astronauts, coaches, and even microwave ovens use backwards counting to measure time until something happens.