Using Correct Mathematical Language Through the Grades

Counting and cardinality:

- Instead of 1 is the first number, say Let’s start counting with 1 or 0.

- Instead of …7, 8, 9, and 10, say …7, 8, 9, 10…

Numbers and Operations in Base 10:

- Instead of What number is in the tens place? say What digit is in the tens place? What is the value of the digit 4 in the tens place?

- Instead of Five hundred and twenty-nine, say Five hundred twenty-nine.

- Instead of The alligator eats the bigger number, say Less than or greater than.

- Instead of Bigger number or Smaller number, say Number that is greater and Number that is less.

- Instead of Equals, say, The same as.

- Instead of When adding, your answer is always bigger, when subtracting, your answer is always smaller, ask children to predict and reason.

- Instead of Carry or Borrow, say Regroup or Trade or Exchange.

Numbers and Operations with Rational Numbers:

- Instead of Numbers in the fraction, say This fraction is a number.

- Instead of Top number and Bottom number, say Numerator and Denominator.

- Instead of 2 over 3, say Two-thirds.

- Instead of Line, say Fraction bar or Slash.

- Instead of Reduce, say Rename or Find an equivalent fraction.

- Instead of Three point four, say Three and four tenths.

- Instead of Three out of four, say Three to four.

Geometry:

- Instead of Box or Ball, say Square/rectangle or Circle.

- Instead of Square (for any rectangular shape), say Rectangle.

- Instead of Corner, say Angle.

- Instead of Side or Angle (to describe 3D shapes), say Edge, Face, or Vertex/Vertices.

- Instead of Point, say Vertex.

- Instead of These are the same shape, say These shapes are similar.

- Instead of These shapes are the same, say These shapes are congruent.

- Instead of Flips, Slides, and Turns, say Reflections, Translations, and Rotations.

Measurement:

- Instead of Long hand and Short hand, say Minute hand and Hour hand.

- Instead of Less versus Fewer, say Less or Fewer.

- Instead of Bigger or Larger, say Greater.

- Instead of This is 2 centimeters long, say The length of this side is 2 centimeters.

- Instead of Weight and mass (used interchangeably), say Weight (for the pull of gravity on an object) or Mass (the amount of matter in an object).

- Instead of Capacity and Volume (used interchangeably), say Capacity (liquid measurement) and Volume (the space of an object).

- Instead of Chart and Graph (used interchangeably), say Chart (presents data in an interpretable manner) and Graph (presents exact numerical data).