Fifth Grade CCSS Math Vocabulary Word List
*Terms with an asterisk are meant for teacher knowledge only—students
need to learn the concept but not necessarily the term.
Addend Any number being added
Algorithm set of steps used to solve a mathematical computation
Area The number of square units that covers a shape or figure
Area model a pictorial way of representing multiplication. In the area model, the
length and width of a rectangle represent factors, and the area of the rectangle
represents their product.
Array an orderly arrangement in rows and columns used in multiplication and
division to show how multiplication can be shown as repeated addition and
division can be shown as fair shares.
*Associative Property of Addition When three or more numbers are added, the
sum is the same regardless of the grouping of the addends. For example (2 + 3) + 4
= 2 + (3 + 4)
*Associative Property of Multiplication When three or more numbers are
multiplied, the product is the same regardless of the grouping of the factors. For
example (2 x 3) x 4 = 2 x (3 x 4)
Attribute A characteristic of an object such as color, shape, size, etc
Axis (plural: axes) The vertical and horizontal lines that make up the quadrants of
a coordinate plane.
Bar M
o
check.
equal a
m
sister. H
o
Base o
f
certain
p
Base o
f
sit. M
o
Bench
m
against
Braces
[ ] is
n
on the i
n
Brack
e
indicat
e
work y
o
Centi
m
*Com
m
the sa
m
*Com
m
the pro
d
x 4
Comp
o
o
del a vis
u
Example:
m
ount of mo
n
o
w much m
o
f
an expo
n
ower
f
a solid fi
g
o
st solid fi
g
m
ark frac
t
{ } extr
a
n
ot enough
n
side and
w
ts [ ] e
x
e
all the gr
o
o
ur way O
U
m
eter (cm)
m
utative
P
m
e regardle
s
m
utative
P
d
uct is the
o
se To put
u
al model
u
Jane had
$
n
ey. Then J
a
o
ney did the
n
ent In an
g
ure usu
a
g
ures have
t
ions co
m
a
forms of
p
to indicat
e
w
ork your
x
tra forms
o
uping. T
h
U
T.
A measu
r
P
ropert
y
o
f
s
s of the o
r
P
ropert
y
o
f
same rega
r
together
b
u
sed to so
l
$
7 and her s
i
a
ne had twi
c
ir parents g
i
exponent,
a
lly thoug
h
more tha
n
m
mon fract
i
p
arenthes
e
e
all the g
r
way OU
T
of parent
h
h
e key to s
o
r
e of lengt
h
f
Additio
n
r
der of the
f
Multipli
c
r
dless of t
h
b
asic elem
e
l
ve word
p
i
ster had $2
c
e as much
m
i
ve each of
t
the base i
s
h
t of as a f
a
n
one base.
i
ons that y
o
e
s when o
n
r
ouping. T
h
T
.
h
eses whe
n
o
lving wit
h
h
. There a
r
n
When t
w
addends.
F
c
ation W
h
h
e order o
f
e
nts. (e.g.,
p
roblems i
n
. Their pare
n
m
oney as h
e
t
hem?
s
the num
b
a
ce upon
w
o
u can jud
n
e set of (
)
h
e key to
s
n
one set o
f
h
these is
s
r
e 100 cen
t
w
o numbe
r
F
or exam
p
h
en two n
u
f
the facto
r
Numbers
n
the place
n
ts gave th
e
e
r
b
er being r
a
w
hich a sol
i
d
ge other n
u
)
and one
s
s
olving wi
t
f
( ) is not
s
tart on th
e
t
imeters i
n
r
s are adde
d
p
le 4 + 2 =
u
mbers ar
e
r
s. For exa
m
or geomet
r
of guess
a
e
m each an
aised to a
i
d figure c
a
u
mbers
s
et of brac
k
t
h these is
enough t
o
e
inside an
d
n
a meter
d
, the su
m
2 + 4
e
multiplie
d
m
ple 4 x
2
r
ic shapes.
a
nd
a
n
k
ets
start
o
d
m
is
d
,
2
= 2
.
)
Coordinate plane a plane formed by the intersection of a horizontal number line
with a vertical number line.
Coordinate system A method of representing points in a space of given
dimensions by coordinates
Coordinates the pairs of numbers which specify the position or location of a point
Corresponding terms terms that are in the same position in a sequence of
numbers
Cubic unit a unit for measuring volume
Customary system the United States standard system of measurement
Data A collection of information
Decimal the expression of a fraction in the base of ten, using a decimal point to
separate whole numbers from the fractional value
Decimal point a printed or written dot in a decimal number that divides the whole
numbers from the tenths, hundredths, and smaller divisions of ten
Decompose To separate into basic elements. (e.g., Numbers or geometric shapes.)
Denominator The bottom part of a fraction.
Difference The result when one number is subtracted from another
*Distributive Property multiply a sum by multiplying each addend separately
and then add the products. Example:
4 x 53
(4 x 50) + (4 x 3)
200 + 12
212
Dividend The number that is divided by another number in a division operation
Divisor The quantity by which another quantity is to be divided
Equation A number sentence with an equal sign. The amount on one side of the
equal sign has the same value as the amount on the other side.
Equivalent fractions different fractions that name the same number or amount
Estimate A close guess of the actual value, usually with some thought or
calculation involved
Evaluate To substitute number values into an expression
Expanded form a way to write a number that shows the sum of values of each
digit of a number. Example: the expanded form of the number 543 would be 500
+ 40 + 3.
Exponent a mathematical notation that implies the number of times a number is
to be multiplied by itself
Expression A mathematical phrase without an equal sign.
Factor One of two or more expressions that are multiplied together to get a
product
Finite decimal A decimal with a representation that ends (also terminating)
*Fluency efficient, flexible and accurate methods for computing
Formula a standard procedure for solving a class of mathematical problems
>Greater than is used to compare two numbers when the first number is larger
than the second number
Hundredth One out of one hundred equal parts; the position of the second digit to
the right of the decimal point
Improper fraction a fraction in which the number in the numerator is greater than
or equal to the number in the denominator.
Inequality a mathematical sentence that uses symbols such as < or > to compare
two quantities
Intersect Two lines are said to intersect when they cross each other or meet, at a
single point.
<Less than is used to compare two numbers when the first number is
smaller than the second number
Like denominators denominators in two or more fractions that are the same
Line plot shows data on a number line with x or other marks to show frequency
Lowest terms a fraction expressed in the fewest number of pieces possible (also
simplest form)
Meter (m) The basic unit of length (or distance) in the Metric System. The
abbreviation is m
Metric system A system of measuring based on the meter for length
Millimeter (mm) a metric unit used to measure length; 1,000 mm = 1 meter
Minuend the starting number in a subtraction problem
Mixed number A number written as a whole number and a fraction
*Multiplicative Identity Property of 1 The number 1 is the multiplicative
identity because multiplying 1 times any number gives that number
Number bond a picture of the relationship between a number and the parts that
combine to make it. Examples:
Numb
e
Numer
Open
N
Order
o
perfor
m
Order
e
meanin
g
represe
n
positio
n
Origin
interse
c
Parent
h
Perpe
n
interse
c
Place v
Plane
A
Power
s
i.e., 10
0
e
r line A l
ator The
t
N
umber L
i
o
f Operat
i
m
ed first in
e
d pair S
e
g
, such as
n
ts the ho
r
n
.
The poin
t
c
t.
h
eses the
dicular li
n
c
tion point
s
alue The
v
A
flat surf
a
s
of ten 1
0
, 10
1
, 10
2
,
ine with n
u
t
op part o
f
i
ne A nu
m
i
ons is a
r
a given
m
e
t of two n
u
t
he Cartes
i
izontal po
s
t
(0, 0) on
a
symbols
(
n
es Two i
n
s
v
alue of
w
a
ce that st
r
0
raised to
and so on
u
mbers pl
a
f
a fractio
n
m
ber line
w
r
ule used t
o
m
athematic
a
u
mbers in
w
i
an coordi
n
s
ition, and
a
coordin
a
(
and )
n
tersectin
g
w
here the d
r
etches int
o
any non-
n
a
ced in th
e
w
ith no nu
m
o
clarify w
a
l expressi
w
hich the
n
ates (x, y
)
the secon
d
a
te plane,
w
used in g
r
g
lines hav
i
git is in t
h
o
infinity.
n
egative in
e
ir correct
p
m
bers or t
i
w
hich proc
e
i
on.
order has
a
)
, where t
h
d
coordin
a
w
here the
x
r
ouping
v
e four rig
h
h
e number
n
teger exp
o
p
osition
i
ck marks
e
dures sho
u
an agreed
-
h
e first co
o
a
te represe
n
x
-axis and
t
h
t angles f
o
o
nent,
u
ld be
-
upon
o
rdinate
n
ts the ver
t
t
he y-axis
o
rmed at t
h
t
ical
h
e
Product The result of two numbers being multiplied together
Proper fraction A fraction whose numerator is less than its denominator
Quadrants One of the quarters of the plane of the Cartesian coordinate system
Quotient The answer to a division problem.
Remainder the amount left over after division when one divisor does not divide
the dividend exactly
Right rectangular prism A rectangular prism is a solid 3D object with six sides
that are rectangles
Right triangle a triangle with one right angle
Round A method of approximating a number to its nearest place value
Scaling reducing or enlarging an original drawing
Sequence an ordered list of numbers that has a constant difference between every
two consecutive numbers
Simplest form when a fraction is expressed with the fewest number of pieces
possible (also lowest term)
Simplify to express a fraction in simplest form
Solid figure 3 dimensional (3D) shapes that have width, depth, and height
Standard form the numerical version of a number where each number has a place
value
Subtrahend the number to be subtracted from another number
Sum The answer to an addition problem
Tenth One out of one ten equal parts; the position of the first digit to the right of
the decimal point
Term a single number, or a variable, or numbers and variables multiplied together
Thousandth One out of one thousand equal parts; the position of the third digit to
the right of the decimal point
Three-dimensional figure An object that has height, width and depth, like any
object in the real world
Tiling When you fit individual tiles together with no gaps or overlaps to fill a flat
space
Two-dimensional figure Lying in a plane; flat
Unit cube a cube whose sides are 1 unit long; used for measuring volume
Unit fraction a fraction with a numerator of one
Unlike denominators two or more fractions that do not have the same
denominator
Volume The amount of 3-dimensional space an object occupies
Whole numbers The set of numbers that includes zero and all of the natural
numbers
X-axis The line on a graph that runs horizontally (left-right) through zero
X-coordinate The horizontal value in a pair of coordinates
Y-axis The line on a graph that runs vertically (up-down) through zero
Y-coordinate The vertical value in a pair of coordinates. How far up or down the
point is.