Year 3 vocabulary glossary

number

A number is a value used for counting, ordering or measuring, such as 14 or 100.

digit

A digit is a single symbol used to make numbers.

hundreds

The hundreds place is the position of a digit worth 100 in a number.

tens

The tens digit shows how many groups of ten are in a number, such as the 1 in 14.

ones

The 4 is in the ones place because it is the first digit on the right.

place value

Place value tells us the value of a digit depending on its position in a number.

partition

Partition means to split a number into its hundreds, tens and ones.

recombine

Recombine means to put the parts back together.

compare

Compare means to look at two numbers, amounts or fractions and decide which is bigger, smaller, or if they are equal.

order

Order means putting numbers, amounts or fractions in a sequence, either from smallest to largest or largest to smallest.

more than

More than (>) means a number, amount or fraction is bigger than another.

less than

Less than (<) means a number, amount or fraction is smaller than another.

equal to

Equal to (=) means two numbers or amounts are exactly the same.

greater than (>)

Greater than (>) means a number or amount is bigger than another.

equals (=)

Equals (=) means both sides are the same amount.

estimate

Estimate means to make a sensible guess about an amount or measurement, without measuring or counting exactly.

sequence

A sequence is a set of numbers that follow a pattern or rule.

odd

Odd numbers cannot be divided equally into pairs: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9...

even

Even numbers can be divided equally into pairs: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10...

multiple

A multiple is the answer you get when you multiply a number by another whole number.

pattern

A pattern is a repeated design or sequence that follows a rule.

ascending

Ascending order means from smallest to largest.

descending

Descending order means from largest to smallest.

position

Position means the place of a number or object, such as its place in a sequence or on a number line.

value

Value is how much something is worth, such as the value of a digit or a coin.

add

Add means to put numbers together to find a total..

plus

Plus (+) is the symbol we use for addition.

total

The total or sum is the final amount when you add numbers together.

sum

The sum is the total you get when you add numbers together.

subtract

Subtract means to take one number away from another.

minus

Minus (−) is the symbol we use for subtraction.

take away

Take away is another way to say subtract.

difference

Difference means the amount between two numbers when you subtract the smaller from the larger.

inverse

Inverse means the opposite operation. Addition and subtraction are inverses — they undo each other.

tens boundary

A tens boundary is when we cross from one ten to the next (e.g., from 29 to 30).

hundreds boundary

A hundreds boundary is when we cross from one hundred to the next (e.g., from 199 to 200).

partition

Partition means to split numbers to make addition or subtraction easier.

recombine

Recombine means to put the parts back together.

column

A column is a place-value position, such as the tens column or ones column, used to line up digits when calculating.

exchange

Exchange means to swap 10 ones for 1 ten, or 10 tens for 1 hundred (or vice versa) to help with calculating.

estimate

Estimate means to make a sensible guess about an amount or measurement, without measuring or counting exactly.

rounding

Rounding means changing a number to the nearest ten, hundred or thousand to make it easier to work with.

multiply

Multiply means to add equal groups together.

times

Times (×) is the symbol we use for multiplication.

groups of

Groups of means we have a certain number of equal sets.

repeated addition

Repeated addition is adding the same number over and over again.

array

An array is a way of showing multiplication using objects arranged in rows and columns.

row

A row is a horizontal line (left to right).

column

A column is a place-value position, such as the tens column or ones column, used to line up digits when calculating.

double

Double means to multiply by 2.

halve

Halve means to divide by 2.

share equally

Share equally means to split a quantity into equal groups.

divide

Divide (÷) is the symbol we use for division.

divided by

Divided by means split into equal groups or parts. The symbol for division is ÷.

equal groups

Equal groups means each group has the same amount.

multiple

A multiple is the answer you get when you multiply a number by another whole number.

factor

A factor is a number that divides exactly into another number without a remainder.

product

The product is the answer when you multiply two numbers together.

times table

A times table is a list of the multiples of a number, such as the 2 times table: 2, 4, 6, 8...

fact family

A fact family is a group of related addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts using the same numbers.

inverse

Inverse means the opposite operation. Addition and subtraction are inverses — they undo each other.

remainder

A remainder is the amount left over when you divide a number that doesn't divide exactly.

whole

A whole is the entire shape or amount.

equal parts

Equal parts means pieces that are exactly the same size.

numerator

The numerator is the top number in a fraction. It tells us how many parts we have.

denominator

The denominator is the bottom number in a fraction.

unit fraction

A unit fraction is a fraction with a numerator of 1, such as ½, ⅓ or ¼.

non-unit fraction

A non-unit fraction is a fraction with a numerator greater than 1 (e.g., ¾, 2/5). ¾ is a non-unit fraction (3 parts out of 4).

equivalent

Equivalent fractions are fractions that show the same amount. ½ is equivalent to 2/4.

equivalence

Equivalence means two fractions are equal in value, even though they look different.

compare

Compare means to look at two numbers, amounts or fractions and decide which is bigger, smaller, or if they are equal.

order

Order means putting numbers, amounts or fractions in a sequence, either from smallest to largest or largest to smallest.

more than

More than (>) means a number, amount or fraction is bigger than another.

less than

Less than (<) means a number, amount or fraction is smaller than another.

whole number

A whole number is a number with no fraction or decimal part, such as 1, 2, 3 or 100.

mixed number

A mixed number is a number made of a whole number and a fraction (e.g., 1½, 2¾).

square

A square is a polygon (4 sides).

rectangle

A rectangle has 4 straight sides — opposite sides are equal in length — and 4 corners.

triangle

A triangle is a polygon (3 sides).

circle

A circle is round.

pentagon

A pentagon is a polygon with 5 straight sides and 5 vertices.

hexagon

A hexagon is a polygon with 6 straight sides and 6 vertices.

octagon

An octagon is a polygon with 8 straight sides and 8 vertices.

polygon

A polygon is a 2D shape with straight sides.

side

A side is a straight line that forms part of a shape.

vertex

A vertex (plural: vertices) is a corner where two sides meet.

angle

An angle is where two lines meet — a measure of turn between two lines.

right angle

A right angle is exactly 90 degrees — it looks like the corner of a square.

acute angle

An acute angle is smaller than a right angle (less than 90°).

obtuse angle

An obtuse angle is larger than a right angle (more than 90°) but less than 180°.

horizontal

Horizontal means flat and level — left to right.

vertical

Vertical means upright — up and down.

parallel

Parallel lines are lines that are always the same distance apart — they never meet.

perpendicular

Perpendicular lines meet at a right angle (90°).

symmetry

Symmetry means a shape is the same on both sides when you fold it.

line of symmetry

A line of symmetry is the fold line that divides a shape into two matching halves.

regular

A regular polygon has all sides equal and all angles equal.

irregular

An irregular polygon has sides and angles that are not all equal.

cube

A cube has 6 flat faces.

cuboid

A cuboid has 12 edges.

sphere

A sphere has 1 curved face.

cone

A cone has 1 vertex.

cylinder

A cylinder has 1 curved face.

pyramid

A pyramid has a polygon base (often a square) and triangular faces that meet at a point (apex).

prism

A prism is a 3D shape with two identical, parallel faces (called bases) and rectangular faces joining them.

face

A face is a flat or curved surface on a 3D shape.

edge

An edge is where two faces meet.

vertex

A vertex (plural: vertices) is a corner where edges meet.

curved

Curved means rounded, not straight.

flat

Flat means a surface that is level and not curved.

roll

Roll means the shape can move by turning around, like a wheel.

stack

Stack means the shape can be placed on top of each other safely.

slide

Slide means the shape can move across a surface without rolling.

solid

A solid is a 3D shape that takes up space and has faces, edges and vertices.

net

A net is a 2D shape that can be folded to make a 3D shape.

left

Left is the side of your body where your thumb is on your left hand when your palm faces forward.

right

Right is the side of your body where your thumb is on your right hand when your palm faces forward.

above

Above means higher up than something else.

below

Below means lower down than something else.

beside

Beside means next to something.

between

Between means in the middle of two things.

forwards

Forwards means moving in the direction you are facing.

backwards

Backwards means moving in the opposite direction to the one you are facing.

full turn

A full turn means turning all the way round (360°).

half turn

A half turn means turning halfway (180°).

quarter turn

A quarter turn means turning a quarter way (90°).

three-quarter turn

A three-quarter turn means turning three quarters way (270°).

clockwise

Clockwise means turning in the same direction as the hands on a clock move.

anticlockwise

Anticlockwise means turning in the opposite direction to the hands on a clock.

right angle

A right angle is a quarter turn (90°) — it looks like the corner of a square.

straight line

A straight line is a line that does not curve.

grid

A grid is a set of squares arranged in rows and columns.

coordinates

Coordinates are a pair of numbers that show an exact position on a grid, written as (x, y).

translate

Translate means to move a shape without rotating or reflecting it — simply slide it to a new position.

horizontal

Horizontal means flat and level — left to right.

vertical

Vertical means upright — up and down.

length

Length tells us how long something is.

height

Height tells us how tall something is.

width

Width tells us how wide something is.

depth

Depth tells us how deep something is.

mass

Mass tells us how heavy something is.

weight

Weight is often used in everyday language to mean how heavy something is, measured using the same units as mass.

capacity

Capacity tells us how much a container can hold.

volume

Volume is the amount of space inside a 3D shape.

perimeter

The perimeter is the distance all the way around the outside of a shape.

centimetre (cm)

A centimetre is a small unit for measuring length.

metre (m)

A metre is a larger unit for measuring length.

gram (g)

A gram is a small unit for measuring mass.

kilogram (kg)

A kilogram is a larger unit for measuring mass.

millilitre (ml)

A millilitre is a small unit for measuring capacity.

litre (l)

A litre is a larger unit for measuring capacity.

estimate

Estimate means to make a sensible guess about an amount or measurement, without measuring or counting exactly.

compare

Compare means to look at two numbers, amounts or fractions and decide which is bigger, smaller, or if they are equal.

measure

Measure means to find out exactly using a tool.

ruler

A ruler is used to measure length.

scales

Scales are used to measure mass/weight.

measuring jug

A measuring jug is used to measure capacity.

convert

Convert means to change a measurement, unit or amount from one form to another, such as centimetres to metres.

clock

A clock is a tool we use to tell the time.

hour hand

The hour hand is the shorter hand on a clock.

minute hand

The minute hand is the longer hand on a clock.

o'clock

O'clock means the time is exactly on the hour.

half past

Half past means 30 minutes past the hour.

quarter past

Quarter past means 15 minutes past the hour.

quarter to

Quarter to means 15 minutes before the next hour.

analogue

Analogue clocks have hands that move around a dial.

digital

Digital clocks show the time using numbers.

12-hour

The 12-hour clock shows the time from 1 to 12, using am for morning and pm for afternoon and evening.

24-hour

The 24-hour clock shows the time from 00:00 to 23:59, without needing am or pm.

hours

Hours are the larger units of time.

minutes

Minutes are smaller units of time.

seconds

Seconds are the smallest units of time.

days

Days of the week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

weeks

A week is a unit of time made up of 7 days.

months

Months of the year: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.

years

A year is a unit of time made up of 12 months, or about 365 days.

seasons

Seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter.

calendar

A calendar shows the days, weeks and months in a year.

duration

Duration tells us how long something takes.

elapsed time

Elapsed time is the amount of time that has passed.

timeline

A timeline is a line that shows events in order of time.

coin

A coin is a piece of metal money.

note

A note is a piece of paper money.

penny

Penny (plural: pence) is the unit of money we use in the UK.

pence (p)

Pence (the plural of penny) is the unit of money we use in the UK. The symbol for pence is p.

pound (£)

Pound (£) is the larger unit of money.

decimal

A decimal is a way of writing a number that is not whole, using a decimal point.

value

Value is how much something is worth, such as the value of a digit or a coin.

cost

Cost or price is the amount you must pay to buy something.

price

The price is the amount you must pay to buy something.

total

Total means the whole amount.

change

The change is the money you get back when you pay with more than the cost.

spend

Spend means to use money to buy something.

pay

Pay means to give money for something.

cheaper

Cheaper means costing less than something else.

expensive

Expensive or dear means costing more than something else.

dear

Dear means costing more than something else.

budget

A budget is a plan for how much money you can spend.

save

Save means to keep money to use later.

calculate

Calculate means to work out the answer using maths.