Count Scattered Objects
Sometimes objects are spread out randomly. That's fine — count every one, no matter where it is. A good strategy is to count from left to right, or top to bottom, so you don't miss any.
Worked examples
How many cookies are there?
Start at one corner and work your way across. Count each cookie: one, two, three, four, five. Total is 5.
Answer: 5
How many cats are there?
Even though they're scattered, count each one. Go left to right: one to eight. Total is 8.
Answer: 8
Tips
- •Start from one corner and work across — don't jump around.
- •If you lose track, start again. It's faster than guessing.
- •Mark each object in your mind as 'counted' as you go.
Key words
scatteredcounttotalrandomarrange