Say What You Mean in Maths

Mathematics · Mathematical Thinking · ages 9-10

Name ______________________ Date ____________

How do you read 5²?
- Five times two
- Five squared
- Five plus two
How do you read 5²?
- Five two
- Five squared
- Five doubled
- Five times two
A rectangle is 6 cm by 8 cm. What is its area number, without units?
Answer: ______________
Which word means 'a number that divides exactly into another number, with nothing left over'?
- Multiple
- Factor
- Product
What is 5²?
Answer: ______________
A box holds a space close to 60 cubic units. Which is the correctly written estimate?
- about 60 cm
- about 60 cm²
- about 60 cm³
Ruth says factors divide a number exactly and multiples are what you get when you multiply. Is Ruth right?
Circle one: True False
What is 4³ (four cubed)?
Answer: ______________
Priya writes: '6 is a factor of 2, because you can multiply 2 to get 6.' What is her mistake?
- She swapped the words: 6 is a multiple of 2, and 2 is a factor of 6
- She should have said 2 is a multiple of 6
- There is no mistake
A box 3 cm by 4 cm by 5 cm has what exact volume number, without units?
Answer: ______________

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Five squared · The small 2 means 'squared', so 5² is read as five squared, which equals 25.
Five squared · 5² reads as five squared.
48 · 6 x 8 = 48.
Factor · A factor divides in exactly. 3 is a factor of 12 because 12 ÷ 3 = 4, with nothing left over.
25 · 5² = 5 x 5 = 25.
about 60 cm³ · Volume fills a three-dimensional space, so the unit is cm³ (cubic centimetres).
True · Ruth is right: that is exactly the distinction.
64 · 4³ means 4 x 4 x 4, which equals 64.
She swapped the words: 6 is a multiple of 2, and 2 is a factor of 6 · A factor divides into a number, while a multiple is what you get by multiplying. Priya has the two words backwards.
60 · 3 x 4 x 5 = 60.