As you explore the resources on this website, you might come across these key early math terms. This list of definitions is designed to support your knowledge of math vocabulary.
Attributes
Any characteristic of a physical or math object. For example, length, number, or angle are mathematical attributes and color is a non-mathematical attribute.
Cardinality
The number representing how many there are in a group or set.
Cognitive Flexibility
The ability to consider several approaches to solving a problem, think about a situation in different ways, and shift between tasks.
Counting On
When adding one set to another, for example, 5 + 2, start counting from the total number of one of the sets (e.g., “5, 6, 7” or “2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7”), rather than starting from 1.
Decomposing/Composing
Taking apart a mathematical unit—such as a number or shape—to create subunits, or putting units together to make a combined unit.
Estimation
Making an approximation of a quantity (e.g., how many items there are, how long something is, or a sum) without exact counting, measuring, or computing.
Executive Function Skills
Cognitive skills used to deliberately and effortfully evaluate and control our own thoughts and behavior (e.g., cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, and working memory).
Inhibitory Control
The ability to resist making an impulsive, automatic response when a different, intentional response is more appropriate to reach your goal (such as when waiting for your turn, or a child resisting taking another child’s toy).
Nonstandard Unit/Nonstandard Measurement
Instead of measuring using an official standard unit (such as an inch or meter), measuring using units like objects or body parts. For example, using popsicle sticks to measure length, or a handful to measure volume.
Number Word
Written, spoken, or signed words that represent quantities and/or number symbols (numerals such a “4″) and can be used to count, measure, or label (e.g., a telephone number).
Numeral
The symbols we use to represent number (e.g., 1, 2, 3).
One-to-One Correspondence
When counting items, use one and only one number from the counting sequence for each item. Count every item only once.
Parallelogram
A closed shape with four angles and two pairs of opposite sides, with each pair parallel and the same length. Because they have these properties, this also includes rectangles, squares, and rhombuses.
Pattern Unit
The part of a pattern that repeats. For example, if the pattern is red, red, blue, red, red, blue, the pattern unit is red red blue.
Patterns
Sounds, objects, features (like color or shape), or movements that repeat in a predictable way more than twice (e.g., clap stomp clap stomp clap stomp). Growing patterns are sounds, objects, features, or movements that increase/decrease in the same predictable way.
Relative Value
The value of a number compared to another number (e.g., greater than, less than, equal to).
Skip Counting
Counting forward or backward by numbers other than 1, such as counting by twos (2, 4, 6, 8) or counting by tens (40, 30, 20, 10).
Spatial Relational Language
Vocabulary that describes and compares shape, size, orientation, or location of entities, such as “square”, “taller”, “diagonal”, and “above.”
Spatial Thinking
Thinking about the positions of people and objects relative to each other, as well as their size, shape, or orientation.
Subitizing
Quickly recognize the number of objects in a set without counting. Usually visual, it can also be rhythmic.
Trapezoid
A four-sided closed shape with one and only one pair of parallel sides.
Working Memory
The ability to simultaneously think about and manipulate information in the mind (such as keeping track of what items you counted already and which you haven’t counted while counting a set.)