learning to crochet at home

[N Bickel]

Why does it ask  the following:  ch 6 (counts as first dc and ch 3 space?)

[ratdog]

Chain 6. The first three are a double crochet and the second three are a space of three chains. 

How does the next line read? Something like dc ch 3 across? 

Edited April 19, 2020 by ratdog

[Granny Square]

Welcome to the 'ville! I second what Ratdog says.  Since you are new to crochet, have you run across an explanation of how 'turning chains' are all about yet?

If you knit, there's no such concept; knit stitches are short and don't need turning chains.

Crochet stitches are taller than knit stitches, and need a way to raise the yarn up from one row to the height of the next.  Here is a link that explains turning chains, except it omits something very important--when turning chains count as a stitch, normally (unless a pattern says otherwise) you skip the first chain of the row because the chain is taking the place of that first stitch.

Just FYI if you haven't found this site yet, here is a link to all sorts of answers to a new crocheter's questions - I've linked to the 'how to read a crochet pattern' page, but there's other good stuff on the menu on the right side of the page.  https://www.craftyarncouncil.com/standards/how-to-read-crochet-pattern