Mathematical Thinking Strategies
Student Help for Solving Math Problems
Math key words to aid students in solving math problems for all grade levels. Create a math word wall with the math key words.
Math is an important subject but often students are going through the motions without understanding the concepts. Math is simple if students have the basic building blocks and are able to learn it concretely and not abstractly. Too often starting in kindergarten, students are taught addition with pencil and paper. There are no manipulatives to demonstrate to the student the concept of one or more than one. Often the students are counting dots on a piece of paper but without touching and seeing it is difficult for many students to grasp.
Many classrooms have a word wall for language but how about a word wall for math. Often students have to problem solve but they are unsure of the operation to perform because of the variety of vocabulary used in the question. Listed below are the more common words used in math. It is important for students to learn the words and understand their meaning.
Math Activity
Place all the words in a hat and have students pick out the word. Have students write out the word on paper to display on a bulletin board. Divide the bulletin board into four with the main categories of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. After students have written their word ask them to place their word in the appropriate place on the bulletin board. With the class, evaluate each word and if it is the correct location.
Math Word Wall
Addition
- sum
- all
- together
- total
- in all
- altogether
- increased by
- more than
- combined together
- total of
- added to
Subtraction
- difference
- left
- less than
- How many more?
- fewer than
- greater than
- more than
- How many less?
- reduced by
- decreased by
- difference of
Multiplication
- product
- in all
- times
- all
- of
- times
- multiplied by
Division
- quotient
- per
- average
- each
- divide equally
- out of
- ratio of
- percent
