ISAT Math Word List – K-8

abbreviations for days-

Sunday—Sun.

Monday—Mon.

Tuesday—Tues.

Wednesday—Wed.

Thursday—Thurs.

Friday—Fri.

Saturday—Sat.

abbreviations for months-

January—Jan.

February—Feb.

March—Mar.

April—Apr.

May—May

June—Jun.

July—Jul.

August—Aug.

September—Sept.

October—Oct.

November—Nov.

December—Dec.

about – Approximately

above - On top of

acute angle – An angle that measures less than a right angle (90°)

Example:

addends – Number added together in an addition problem.

addition – Add

3 + 2 = 5

alike – The same in some way

alternate exterior angles - A pair of angles on the outer sides of

two lines cut by a transversal, but on

opposite sides of the transversal

Example:

alternate interior angles - A pair of angles on the inner sides of

two lines cut by a transversal, but on

opposite sides of the transversal

Example:

altitude – The perpendicular distance from the vase of a geometric figure to the vertex or to the side parallel to the base.

angle (Ð) – A figure formed by two rays that meet at a common

endpoint

Example:

approximate – Something is approximately correct - an

approximation - if it is close to the true value, but we

can't be sure that it is exactly right. Often we will give

some estimate of how far the approximation might be

from the truth.

area – The number of square units needed to cover the surface of a figure

Example:

area = 9 square units

arc – The set of points on a circle that lie in the interior of a central angle.

ascend/ascending order – The arrangement of numbers from

smallest to largest.

average – One way to find a number that best represents all the numbers in a set

Example:

axes – Two perpendicular lines that intersect to form the coordinate plane

Example:

bar graph – A way to show information that uses bars to stand for data

Example:

below – Lower than; under

between –

30 is between 29 and 31.

base – A number used as a repeated factor

Example:

base 8³

The number 8 is the base.

or

A side of a polygon or a face of a solid figure by which the figure is measured or named

Examples:

capacity – The amount a container can hold when filled

Example:

cardinal number – A number that tells how many items are in a group.

Examples:

4 puppies

93 cents

centimeter (cm) – A metric unit that is used to measure length

100 centimeters = 1 meter

cents ($.oo) – An American unit of money, equal to a hundredth of a dollar.

chance – The possibility of something occurring.

characteristic – An attribute

chart – Sheet giving information in lists, charts, tables, or diagrams.

chord – A line segment with endpoints on a circle

Example:

circle – The set of points in a plane that are a fixed distance from a given point.

circle graph – A graph in the shape of a circle that shows data as a

whole made up of different parts

Example:

circumference – The perimeter of a circle

Example:

column – Vertical collection of data on a chart or graph

combination – An arrangement of items or events in which order does

not matter.

Example:

Two-letter combinations of A, B, C, and D:

AB       BC       CD

AC       BD

AD

There are 6 combinations

commission – A fee paid to a person for making a sale.

compare – To measure and describe one object in relation to another.

complementary – In probability, the complement of an event is all

outcomes different from the favorable outcome.

The sum of the probability of an event and its

complement is 1.

Example:

The number cube is labeled 1-6.

composite number – Numbers that have more than two factors

Examples:

Composite Numbers		Not Composite Numbers
Number	Factors	Number	Factors
4	1, 2, 4	1	1
6	1, 2, 3, 6	2	1, 2
8	1, 2, 4, 8	3	1, 3
9	1, 3, 9	5	1, 5

compound inequality – Two inequalities connected with the word

“and”.

Example:

0 < χ < 3

All real numbers greater than 0 and less than 3.

cone – A solid, pointed figure that has a flat, round base.

Examples:

congruent symbols in polygons – Having the same size and

shape

Example:

conjunction – A joining together.

consecutive – Happening or following one after the other.

convert – To change for an equivalent.

coordinate plane – A plane formed by a horizontal line (x-axis) that intersects a vertical line (y-axis) at a point called the origin

Example:

coordinates – A set of numbers that identifies the location of a point.

corresponding angles – Angles that are in the same position and

are formed by a transversal cutting two or more lines

Example:

2 and 6 are corresponding angles.

corner – The point where two lines meet

This figure has 4 corners.

cube – A three dimensional figure that has squares for all its faces

cubic units (³) – The number of cubes with dimensions of 1 unit X 1 unit X 1 unit that can fit inside of a solid figure, that gives the volume

Example:

4 cubic units

cylinder – A circular prism with two congruent, parallel, and circular end faces.

data – Information collected about people or things.

decagon – A ten-sided polygon.

decimal – A number that uses place value and a decimal point to show

tenths, hundredths, and so on.

Examples:

0.5	five tenths
0.25	twenty-five hundredths

decimeter – A unit of length in the metric system

10 centimeters = 1 decimeter

degrees (°) – A unit for measuring angles and for measuring

temperature.

descend/descending order – An arrangement of numbers from

the largest to the smallest.

degrees Celsius (°C) – A standard unit for measuring temperature

in the metric system

degrees Fahrenheit (°F) – A standard unit for measuring

temperature in the customary system

diagonal – A line segment that connects two non-adjacent vertices of a

polygon

Example:

diagram – A picture containing precise information about a system, which helps us to make a mathematical model of that system.

diameter – A line segment that passes through the center of a circle and has its endpoints on the circle

Example:

difference – The answer in a subtraction problem

Example:

8 - 5 = 3

3 is the difference.

digit – Any one of the ten symbols 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 used to

write numbers.

dimensions – A measure in one direction; A figure may be one- dimensional, two-dimensional, or three-dimensional.

discount – The amount by which the original price is reduced.

Example:

distance – The space in between

distinct – Different from each other.

dividend – The number that is being divided in a division problem

Examples:

35 ÷ 5 = 7      

The dividend is 35.

divisible – A number is divisible by another number if the result of the

division is a whole number and the remainder is zero

Example:

18 is divisible by 3.

division (/) – The process of sharing a number of items to find how

many groups can be made or how many items will be in a

group; the opposite operation of multiplication

Example:

6 ÷ 3 = 2

divisor – The number that divides the dividend.

Examples:

18 ÷ 3 = 6      

The divisor is 3.

dollars ($) –

$1.00

one dollar

domain – The set of the first elements of a relation; see range

Example:

In the relation
{(2,20), (3,30), (4,40), (5,50)},

the domain is {2, 3, 4, 5}.

down payment – A part of a price paid when something is bought

leaving a balance to be paid later.

dozen – Twelve of something

drawn to scale – see scale drawing

earn – To set as pay for work done.

edge/edges – The line segment where two faces of a solid figure meet

Example:

elapsed time – The time that passes from the start of an activity to the end of that activity

Example:

The elapsed time is one hour.

equilateral triangle – A triangle with three congruent sides

Example:

equation – An algebraic or numerical sentence that shows two quantities are equal

Examples:

x + 3 = 4

7 - 2 = 5

estimate/estimation – An answer that is close to the exact answer

and is found by rounding, by clustering, or

by using compatible numbers

even number – A whole number that has 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8 in the ones

place

Examples:

2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, . . .

face/faces – One of the polygons of a solid figure

Example:

The cube has 6 faces.

factor – A number that is multiplied by another number to find a product

Example:

The factors are 6 and 2.

factorial – The product of all whole numbers, except zero, less than or

equal to a number

Example:

5! Read as 5 factorial.

5! = 5 X 4 X 3 X 2 X 1

fairness – Having an equal chance of winning.

farthest – To or at the greatest distance

figure – To or at the greatest distance

flips- A move that involves flipping a figure across a line

Example:

folded – Doubled over on itself

foot (ft) – A unit of length in the customary system

12 inches = 1 foot

fraction