Counting backward by tens means repeatedly subtracting 10, producing a sequence in which the ones digit remains constant while the tens and hundreds place values change predictably. The sequence can begin at any whole number within 1,000 and may cross a hundred boundary, such as 347, 337, 327; it connects skip-counting to place-value understanding and mental subtraction, without extending to negative numbers or more general integer sequences.
To count backward by tens, subtract each time. The ones digit stays the same, while the tens or hundreds digit changes.
Example: Count backward by tens from .
Subtract again:
Continue:
Notice that the ones digit is always . When we subtract from , we cross from the s to the s:
So, counting backward by tens from gives:
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