February, 2009 | Maths Blog

Maths vocabulary: year 6 fractions, decimals and percentages

$vocab-y6-fractions-png$ This list contains the key vocabulary for Fractions, decimals, percentages and ratio in year 6.
Children will have come across all these words in earlier years, but by the end of year 6 (10/11 yr old) they should have a good understanding of all of them

Fraction proper fraction improper fraction

Numerator denominator

Equivalent reduced to cancel

Half quarter eighth

Third sixth ninth twelfth

Fifth tenth twentieth

Hundredth thousandth

Proportion decimal fraction

Decimal point decimal place

percentage per cent %

When spelling the word twelfth often causes problems. They are all shown in a larger font below if you want to cut them out and print them.

If you are unsure of any of the meanings try one of the free online maths dictionaries such as at
www.mathsphere.co.uk or www.amathsdictionaryforkids.com/
(Taken from Mathematical Vocabulary Book DfEE)

Year 6 vocabulary: fractions, decimals and percentages

Maths worksheet: Subtracting a decimal from a whole number

Subtracting a decimal number from a whole number can be done ‘in your head’ if it only involves tenths, usually by ‘counting on’ .

A good knowledge of pairs of numbers which make 10 really helps here.

Let’s look at:

1 – 0.3

Probably the easiest way to do this is by ‘counting on’.

Step 1: Count on from 0.3, in tenths up to one.

(eg 0.4, 0.5, 0.6 …etc

which comes to 0.7

1 – 0.3 = 0.7

Of course, if you know that 7 + 3 makes 10, then you can transfer this knowledge ie 0.3 + 0.7 = 1
In the same way:

4 – 3.3 = 0.7

Watch out for the answer 1.7 to the above question which is incorrect and shows a lack of understanding of numbers and ‘counting on’.

Subtract a decimal from a whole number (1)

Maths worksheet: learning tables

Tables grids for 4x, 8x, 5x and 10x tables

On the next page is a tables grid for learning the 4x, 8x, 5x and 10x tables.
The grid is filled in by taking the numbers across the top with the numbers down the side as shown below.

x      4   8
5 20    40
6 24    48

The tables have been chosen because the 8x table is double the 4x table and the 5x table is half of the 10x table. This should lead to a quicker speed of working out even if the tables have not been learnt.

There are many different approaches to this type of problem. Some children fill in the answers in strict order, others go through and complete the ones they know off by heart, and then try to work the rest out.
It is a good idea to set a time limit to these to encourage learning them off by heart.

4x 8x 5x 10x table (pg 1)

Lots more on tables on the ‘It’s All Figured Out!’ CD from mathsphere.co.uk

Year 4 maths worksheet: 100 more than or less than

Maths worksheet from mathsblog.co.uk in association with MathSphere.co.uk

Adding or subtracting 100 from a number is usually straightforward, but can prove tricky if the number crosses the thousand mark. Normally this would be done mentally, without resorting to written methods.

For example 100 less than 3 456 is 3 356: only the hundreds digit needs to change.

More tricky is 100 less than 3095, which is 2905, involving both the hundreds digit and the thousands digit to change. Getting this type of question correct shows a good understanding of place value.

100 more than/less than (pg 1)

Metric or imperial?

It is interesting to note that now the snow has been with us for a few days everyone is using Celsius or Centigrade to describe the temperature. ‘It’s been down to minus 7 degrees’ is typical of weather and news broadcasts. Yet in the summer ‘temperatures hit the eighties’ is also heard as we revert to Fahrenheit to describe high temperatures. Totally confusing for our young children and let’s hope we keep with the Celsius from now on, even when the weather does get warmer!

Also it would help if we described the depth of the snow in centimetres rather than inches!

Maths worksheet: adding 9

Here are two maths worksheets of practice at adding 9 to a single digit. The obvious method to do this is to add ten and then take away one. However, this method is only efficient if ten is added mentally and not counted on. (Otherwise you might just as well count on 9!) Once again, the aim is for children to become quick and efficient in their heads so that answers are given just as quickly as if they were asked their name.

Adding 9 to a single digit (1)

Adding 9 to a single digit (2)

Learning tables: 2, 3, 5 and 10 times tables practice

On this maths worksheet is a tables grid for the 2x, 3x, 5x and 10x table.
The grid is filled in by taking the numbers across the top with the numbers down the side as shown below.

2x, 3x, 5x, 10x tables practice (1)

Year 3 Maths worksheet: What sign to use?

Free maths worksheet from mathsblog.co.uk

Here is a page with a difference for year 3 children. All the numbers, both questions and answers are supplied, but the signs are missing. Just pop the signs in to make the number sentences correct.

This will show whether a child has a good sense of number for the four rules. It might well not be necessary to work out the answer, just eliminate possibilities.

Use a calculator to check whether the correct signs have been inserted.

Investigate what sign to use