Math Vocabulary

Question 1

Add

Answer 1

To bring two or more numbers (or things) together to make a new total.

Here 1 ball is added to 1 ball to make 2 balls.

If you add 2 and 3 you get 5.

Question 2

Addition

Answer 2

Addition is finding the total, or sum, by combining two or more numbers.

Example: 5 + 11 + 3 = 19 is an addition

Question 3

Average

Answer 3

A calculated “central” value of a set of numbers.

To calculate: add up all the numbers, then divide by how many numbers there are.

Example: what is the average of 2, 7 and 9?
Add the numbers: 2 + 7 + 9 = 18
Divide by how many numbers (i.e. we added 3 numbers): 18 ÷ 3 = 6
So the average is 6

Question 4

Base Ten System

Answer 4

The Base Ten System is another name for the decimal number system that we use every day.

Question 5

Billion

Answer 5

Usually means a thousand millions. 1,000 x 1,000,000 = 1,000,000,000

Question 6

Brackets

Answer 6

Brackets are symbols used in pairs to group things together.

Types of brackets include:

parentheses or “round brackets” ( )
“square brackets” or “box brackets” []
braces or “curly brackets” { }
“angle brackets” < >

Example: (3 + 2) x (6 - 4) = 5 x 2 = 10
The Parentheses group 3 and 2 together, and 6 and 4 together

Note: Angle brackets can be confusing because they look like the “less than” and “greater than” signs.

Question 7

Calculate

Answer 7

To work out an answer, usually by adding, multiplying etc.

Example: Calculate the cost of 10 apples when each apple costs 0.50. Answer: 10 x 0.50 = 5.00

Question 8

Common Difference

Answer 8

The difference between each number in an arithmetic sequence.

Example: the sequence {3, 5, 7, 9, 11 …} is made by adding 2 each time, and so has a “common difference” of 2 (there is a difference of 2 between each number)

Question 9

Decimal

Answer 9

Based on 10

Example: the numbers we use in everyday life are decimal numbers, because there are 10 of them (0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 and 9).

Often “decimal number” is also used to mean a number that uses a decimal point followed by digits that show a value smaller than one.

Example: 45.6 (forty-five point six) is a decimal number.

Question 10

Decimal Number System

Answer 10

The number system we use every day, based on 10 digits (0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9).

Position is important, with the first position being units, then next on the left being tens, then hundreds and so on.

Question 11

Decimal Point

Answer 11

A point or dot used to separate the whole number part from the fractional part of a number.

Example: in the number 36.9 the point separates the 36 (the whole number part) from the 9 (the fractional part, which really means 9 tenths).
So 36.9 is 36 and nine tenths.

Question 12

Decrease

Answer 12

Decrease
Make something smaller (in size or quantity).

As the parrot drinks, the amount left in the can will decrease.

Question 13

Deduct

Answer 13

To take away from. To subtract.

They have deducted $2 from the price.

Question 14

Difference

Answer 14

The result of subtracting one number from another. How much one number differs from another.

Example: The difference between 8 and 3 is 5.

Question 15

Divide

Answer 15

To divide is to split into equal parts or groups. It is “fair sharing”.

Example: there are 12 chocolates, and 3 friends want to share them, how do they divide the chocolates?
Answer: They should get 4 each.

We use the ÷ symbol, or sometimes the / symbol to mean divide:

12 / 3 = 4
12 ÷ 3 = 4

Question 16

Divisible

Answer 16

When one number can be divided by another and the result is an exact whole number.

Example: 15 is divisible by 3, because 15 ÷ 3 = 5 exactly

But 9 is not divisible by 2 because 9 ÷ 2 is 4 with 1 left over.

Question 17

Equal

Answer 17

Exactly the same amount or value

Examples:
3 + 4 is equal to 7
1 Dollar is equal to 100 Cents
60 seconds is equal to 1 minute

The symbol is =

Question 18

Equal Sign

Answer 18

The symbol =

Shows that what is on the left of the sign is equal in value or amount to what is on the right of the sign.

Examples:
3 + 4 = 7 means that 3 + 4 is equal to 7
60 seconds = 1 minute means that 60 seconds is equal to 1 minute

Question 19

Equation

Answer 19

An equation says that two things are the same, using mathematical symbols.

An equal sign (=) is used

Example: 7+2 = 10-1

Question 20

Equivalent

Answer 20

Having the same value.

Examples:
1 Dollar is equivalent to 100 cents
120 seconds is equivalent to 2 minutes

Question 21

Estimate

Answer 21

A close guess of the actual value, usually with some thought or calculation involved.

Example: Alex estimated there were 10,000 sunflowers in the field by counting rows.

Question 22

Estimation

Answer 22

Finding a value that is close enough to the right answer, usually with some thought or calculation involved.

Example: Sam’s estimation of 130 bricks to build the wall was very good, as there were only 5 bricks left over.

Question 23

Evaluate

Answer 23

To calculate the value of.

Example: Evaluate the cost of each pie if 3 pies cost $6. Answer: $2 each.

Question 24

Even Number

Answer 24

Any integer that can be divided exactly by 2.

The last digit will be 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8

Example: -24, 0, 6 and 38 are all even numbers

If it is not an even number, it is called an odd number.