Math Olympiad Vocabulary

Question 1

What is a sum?

Answer 1

The answer to an addition problem.

Question 2

What is a difference?

Answer 2

The answer to a subtraction problem.

Question 3

What is a product?

Answer 3

The answer to a multiplication problem.

Question 4

What is a quotient?

Answer 4

The answer to a division problem.

Question 5

What does compute mean?

Answer 5

To solve using addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. (These operations can be combined in various mathematical equations.)

Question 6

What does evaluate mean?

Answer 6

To solve the problem; to determine or calculate the numerical value in math.

Question 7

What does “find the value of” mean?

Answer 7

To solve or find the result of a calculation or computation.

Question 8

What is a unit fraction?

Answer 8

A common fraction in which the numerator is 1 and the denominator is any counting number. Example: 1/4

Question 9

What is a proper fraction?

Answer 9

A common fraction in which the numerator is less than the denominator. Example: 3/4

Question 10

What is an improper fraction?

Answer 10

A common fraction in which the numerator is greater than or equal to the denominator. Example: 4/3 or 6/6

Question 11

What are consecutive numbers?

Answer 11

All natural numbers that are one right after another. Example: (2, 3, 4, 5,…)

Question 12

What are adjacent numbers?

Answer 12

Numbers that are next to or beside each other. Example: 3 & 4

Question 13

What is standard form?

Answer 13

The way we write numbers using digits. Example: 354

Question 14

What is expanded form?

Answer 14

The way to write numbers using their sum associated with standard form. Example: 300+50+4

Question 15

What is a ratio?

Answer 15

The relationship between two sets of numbers. Example: 2:1 or in our class there are 2 boys to 1 girl.

Question 16

What are whole numbers?

Answer 16

The set of positive numbers that begin with 0. Example: 0, 1, 2, 3,…

Question 17

What are natural/counting numbers?

Answer 17

The set of positive numbers that begin with 1. Example: 1, 2, 3,…

Question 18

What are prime numbers?

Answer 18

Any number greater than 1 which only has 3 factores, 1 and itself. Example: 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17,…

Question 19

What are composite numbers?

Answer 19

Any number greater than 1 which has more than 2 factors 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12,…

Question 20

What does divisibility mean?

Answer 20

When a number can divide into another number without a remainder than it has divisibility. Example: 6 divided by 3 = 2 so it’s DIVISIBLE; 6 divided by 5 = 1.5 so it’s NOT DIVISIBLE

Question 21

What is the square of a number

Answer 21

Any number multiplied by itself will give you the square of that number. Example: 4x4 = 16; 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49, 64, 91

Question 22

What is a factor?

Answer 22

A number that will divide into another number without a remainder. Example: 3 and 5 are FACTORS of 15

Question 23

What is a multiple?

Answer 23

A number that can be divided by another number without a remainder. Example: 5, 10, 15, and 20 are MULTIPLES of 5

Question 24

What is area?

Answer 24

The number of square units contained in the interior of a region; it is found by multiplying length times width. Formula: A=L x W

Question 25

What is perimeter?

Answer 25

The number of unit lengths in the boundary of a region; it is found by adding all the lengths of each side of a figure. Formula: L +L + W + W or 2(XL + XW)

Question 26

What are congruent figures?

Answer 26

Two or more shapes whose sides and angles have the same measurement.

Question 27

What are angles?

Answer 27

A flat geometric figure formed by a pair of rays that begin at a common point (vertex); it is always measured in by the degrees symbol.

Question 28

What is an acute angle?

Answer 28

Any angle that measures less than 90 degrees.

Question 29

What is an obtuse angle?

Answer 29

Any angle that measures more than 90 degrees.

Question 30

What is a right angle?

Answer 30

Any angle that measures exactly 90 degrees.

Question 31

What are quadrilaterals?

Answer 31

Any geometric figure that is closed and has four sides.

Question 32

What is a rectangle?

Answer 32

A quadrilateral that has four equal angles and its adjacent sides are unequal. All parallel lines are equal.

Question 33

What is a square?

Answer 33

A quadrilateral that has four equal sides and angles.(Also, a square is a rectangle with equal sides.)