Math Vocabulary

"Add" means...

• Combine or put numbers together

  +

• Take away or break numbers apart

  -

Answer explanation

"Add" comes from "Addition"! Whenever you add, you combine numbers and put them together. You use the addition sign + to show that you are adding.

"Addend" means...

• A number in an addition problem

• A number in a subtraction problem

Answer explanation

Addends are the numbers in an addition problem! They are the numbers you combine together. In this equation:

7 + 2 = 9

The numbers 7 and 2 are the addends.

"Difference" means...

• The answer to an addition problem.

  +

• The answer to a subtraction problem.

  -

Answer explanation

The difference between 2 numbers will ALWAYS be the answer to a subtraction - problem. You are comparing the numbers and NOT combining them. If you find the difference between 8 and 5, your equation will look like:

8 - 5 = ?

"Sum" means...

• The answer to a subtraction problem

  -

• The answer to an addition problem

  +

Answer explanation

Sum is the answer to an addition problem! When you add 2 numbers together, you get the sum. In this equation:

2 + 4 = 6

The sum is 6.

"Equation" means...

• Skip counting by place value

  10, 20, 30, 40...

• A number sentence where both sides are equal

  2 + 3 = 5

Answer explanation

The numbers on both sides of the = must be the same amount!

1 + 3 = 4

4 = 4

This symbol "=" is called an equal sign!

"Represent" means...

• To show a number using pictures, symbols, base ten blocks, or drawings

• To solve an equation

Answer explanation

Representing numbers can be done in many different ways! We learned about different forms, like expanded form, but we can also represent numbers with drawings, like base ten blocks!

The number 136 is represented in base ten blocks in this picture.