Keep that in mind while looking at these examples. Lets start with this example. First off, looking at the time signature you know that there are 4 quarter notes per measure. Let's intermingle the 2 quarter notes and a half note. The half note get the first 2 beats, and each quarter its own beat.
Lets add in the eighth notes.
In this example there is something new. This may seem a little confusing now, but all of the sudden it will click. You will hit yourself in the head and wonder how you never understood it. After you understand this, go on to the counting basics 2 page.