Tally Marks Questions use the standard tally system where every fifth mark crosses through the previous four, making it easy to count in groups of five.
When to use Tally Marks Questions
Tally marks questions work well for:- Counting and representing quantities
- Practicing skip counting by fives
- Recording data and survey results
- Understanding tally charts and data tables
- Building number sense for quantities up to 100
Settings
Display settings
The number of tally marks shown when the question loads (0–100). This is the starting point for learners.
The visual size of the tally marks:
- Small: Compact tally marks
- Medium: Standard size
- Large: Larger tally marks for visibility
Answer and Marking
Set the correct number of tally marks the learner should display. The learner adds or removes tally marks until they’ve shown the required quantity. The question is marked correct when the number of tally marks matches the expected answer.Response settings
Determines when the question is considered complete:
- Correct: The learner must answer correctly to proceed.
- Answered: Any response is accepted; correctness isn’t required.
- Optional: The learner can skip the question entirely.
The number of attempts the learner can make before the question is locked (0–3). Set to 0 for unlimited attempts.
The experience points awarded for answering the question correctly (0–10).
Tips for teachers and parents
Best practices:- Start with smaller numbers (under 20) before progressing to larger quantities
- Use larger tally mark size for younger learners or those with visual needs
- Combine with stimulus questions like “Show 17 using tally marks”
- Use tally marks alongside number recognition activities
- Progress from counting to recording data in surveys and experiments
- Reinforce the grouping of five pattern (four vertical, one diagonal)