Year 6 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.

millions

The millions place is the position of a digit worth 1,000,000 in a number.

hundred-thousands

The hundred-thousands place is the position of a digit worth 100,000 in a number.

ten-thousands

The ten-thousands place is the position of a digit worth 10,000 in a number.

thousands

The thousands place is the position of a digit worth 1,000 in a number.

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 place value parts.

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.

negative

Negative and positive Negative numbers are numbers less than zero (e.g., -1, -2, -3...).

positive

Positive numbers are numbers greater than zero (e.g., 1, 2, 3...).

integer

An integer is a whole number (not a fraction or decimal).

Roman numeral

Roman numeral Roman numerals are a different way of writing numbers using letters.

round

Round means to change a number to the nearest 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000, 100,000, 1,000,000 or 10,000,000 to make it easier to work with.

nearest

Nearest means the closest value when rounding a number, such as rounding to the nearest 10.

power of 10

A power of 10 is a number that is 10 multiplied by itself a certain number of times (e.g., 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000, 100,000, 1,000,000).

million

A million is the number 1,000,000.

ten million

Ten million is the number 10,000,000.

formula

A formula is a rule written using mathematical symbols that describes a relationship between quantities.

divisibility

Divisibility means whether one number can be divided exactly by another, with no remainder.

factorise

Factorise means to break a number down into its factors.

add

Add means to put numbers together to find a total.

plus

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

total

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

sum

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

subtract

Subtract, minus and take away 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.

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 1 ten for 10 ones) 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.

formal written method

A formal written method is a set-out way of calculating on paper, such as column addition or long multiplication.

multi-step problem

A multi-step problem is a problem that requires more than one operation to solve.

accuracy

Accuracy means how correct or exact an answer or measurement is.

long multiplication

Long multiplication is a formal written method for multiplying numbers with more than one digit.

short division

Short division is a written method for dividing a number by a 1-digit or 2-digit number.

long division

Long division is a formal written method for dividing larger numbers (usually by a two-digit number).

quotient

The quotient is the answer you get when you divide one number by another.

dividend

The dividend is the number being divided.

divisor

The divisor is the number you are dividing by.

algebra

Algebra is an area of mathematics where symbols (usually letters of the alphabet) are used to represent unknown numbers in calculations, equations and expressions.

formula

A formula is a rule written using mathematical symbols that describes a relationship between quantities.

formulae

Formulae (the plural of formula) are rules written using letters and symbols to work something out, such as area = length × width.

equation

An equation is a mathematical statement that says two expressions are equal (it has an equals sign).

expression

An expression is a mathematical phrase that can contain numbers, operators and variables, but does not have an equals sign.

variable

A variable is a symbol, usually a letter, that can stand for a number that may change or vary.

unknown

An unknown is a symbol (like a letter) that stands for a specific number we need to find.

substitute

Substitute means to replace a variable (letter) with a number to work out the value of an expression.

solve

Solve means to find the value of the unknown (variable) that makes an equation true.

sequence

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

linear sequence

A linear sequence is a sequence where the difference between consecutive terms is constant.

rule

The rule describes how to find any term in the sequence.

term

A term is each number in a sequence.

generate

Generate means to produce a sequence of numbers or terms, such as generating terms from a rule.

describe

Describe means to explain a pattern, sequence or rule in words.

satisfy

Satisfy means to make an equation true with a specific value.

pair

A pair means a set of two values that both make an equation true, such as an x and y value on a line.

combination

A combination is one possible way of putting values or items together that satisfies a rule.

enumerate

Enumerate means to list every possible combination or pair that satisfies a rule.

inequality

An inequality is a mathematical statement that shows that two expressions are not equal (using >, <, ≥, ≤).

constant

A constant is a fixed number in an expression or formula that does not change.

brackets

Brackets ( ) are symbols used in a calculation to show which part must be worked out first.

whole

A whole is the entire shape or amount.

equal parts

Equal parts mean 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 Equivalent fractions are fractions that show the same amount, even though they look different.

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

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

improper fraction

An improper fraction has a numerator larger than the denominator (e.g., 5/4, 7/3).

decimal

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

decimal point

The decimal point separates the whole number part from the fractional part (e.g., 3.5).

tenths

Tenths are one of ten equal parts of a whole (1/10 = 0.1).

hundredths

Hundredths are one of one hundred equal parts (1/100 = 0.01).

thousandths

Thousandths are one of one thousand equal parts (1/1,000 = 0.001).

decimal place

A decimal place is a digit's position after the decimal point, showing tenths, hundredths and so on.

decimal equivalent

A decimal equivalent is a decimal that is equal to a fraction. ½ = 0.5 (half = 5 tenths).

round

Round means curved, like a circle.

percent (%)

Percent (%) and percentage Percent (%) means "out of 100." 50% means 50 out of 100 = ½ = 0.5.

percentage

A percentage is a way of showing an amount out of 100, using the % symbol.

proper fraction

A proper fraction has a numerator smaller than its denominator, so its value is less than 1, such as 3/4.

ratio

A ratio compares two amounts, showing how much of one thing there is compared to another, such as 2:3.

proportion

Proportion compares the size of one part to the whole.

part

A part is one of the equal or unequal pieces that make up a whole amount, such as one share in a ratio.

simplest form

Simplest form means a fraction where the numerator and denominator have no common factors (except 1).

cancel

Cancel means to simplify a fraction by dividing the numerator and denominator by the same number.

common factor

A common factor is a factor that is shared by two or more numbers.

square

A square has 4 sides.

rectangle

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

triangle

A triangle has 3 sides.

circle

A circle is round.

pentagon

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

hexagon

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

octagon

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

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 is a corner where edges meet.

angle

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

right angle

A right angle is a quarter turn (90°) — 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°.

reflex angle

A reflex angle is larger than 180° but less than 360°.

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.

quadrilateral

A quadrilateral is a polygon with 4 straight sides and 4 vertices.

equilateral

Equilateral means all sides and all angles are equal, as in an equilateral triangle.

isosceles

An isosceles triangle has 2 equal sides and 2 equal angles.

scalene

A scalene triangle has 0 equal sides and 0 equal angles — all sides and angles are different.

trapezium

A trapezium is a quadrilateral with exactly one pair of parallel sides.

parallelogram

A parallelogram is a quadrilateral with two pairs of parallel sides, where opposite sides are equal in length.

rhombus

A rhombus is a parallelogram with all four sides equal in length.

degree (°)

A degree (°) is the unit we use to measure the size of an angle or a temperature.

protractor

A protractor is a tool used to measure or draw angles.

radius

The radius is the distance from the centre of a circle to any point on its circumference.

diameter

The diameter is the distance across a circle, passing through the centre.

circumference

The circumference is the distance all the way around the edge of a circle.

centre

The centre is the exact middle point of a circle.

arc

An arc is a part of the circumference of a circle.

chord

A chord is a straight line joining two points on the circumference of a circle.

tangent

A tangent is a straight line that touches a circle at exactly one point.

net

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

congruent

Congruent means shapes are exactly the same shape and size.

vertical opposite angles

Vertically opposite angles are the equal angles formed on opposite sides when two straight lines cross.

angles at a point

Angles at a point add up to 360 degrees.

angles on a straight line

Angles on a straight line add up to 180° (a half turn).

interior angle

An interior angle is an angle inside a shape, between two of its sides.

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).

axes

Axes (singular: axis) are the two lines on a coordinate grid.

origin

The origin is where the x-axis and y-axis meet (0, 0).

x-axis

The x-axis is the horizontal line (left to right).

y-axis

The y-axis is the vertical line (up and down).

first quadrant

The first quadrant is the top-right section of a coordinate grid, where both coordinates are positive.

fourth quadrant

The fourth quadrant is the bottom-right section of a coordinate grid, where the x-coordinate is positive and the y-coordinate is negative.

translate

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

translation

Translation is the movement of a shape from one position to another.

reflect

Reflect means to flip a shape over a mirror line to create a mirror image.

reflection

Reflection is the transformation that flips a shape.

rotate

Rotate means to turn a shape around a fixed point (centre of rotation).

rotation

Rotation is the transformation that turns a shape.

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.

length

Length: 1 km = 1,000 m, 1 m = 100 cm, 1 cm = 10 mm.

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: 1 kg = 1,000 g.

weight

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

capacity

Capacity: 1 L = 1,000 ml.

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.

area

Area is the amount of space inside a 2D shape, measured in square units such as cm² or m².

rectilinear

A rectilinear shape has straight sides that all meet at right angles.

centimetre (cm)

A centimetre is a small unit for measuring length.

metre (m)

A metre is a larger unit for measuring length.

kilometre (km)

A kilometre is a larger unit for measuring longer distances.

millimetre (mm)

A millimetre (mm) is a very small unit for measuring length. There are 10 mm in 1 cm.

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 how long, heavy or how much something holds 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.

square centimetre (cm²)

Square centimetre (cm²) A square centimetre is a unit for measuring area — the area of a square that is 1 cm by 1 cm.

square metre (m²)

A square metre (m²) is a unit for measuring area, the size of a square with sides 1 metre long.

cubic centimetre (cm³)

A cubic centimetre (cm³) is a unit for measuring volume, the space taken up by a cube with sides 1 cm long.

cubic metre (m³)

A cubic metre (m³) is a unit for measuring volume, the space taken up by a cube with sides 1 metre long.

imperial

Imperial units Imperial units are an older system of measurement still used in the UK (e.g., inches, pounds, pints).

inches

An inch is an imperial unit for measuring length, used mainly in the UK and USA alongside metric units.

pounds

A pound (lb) is an imperial unit for measuring mass, used mainly alongside kilograms.

pints

A pint is an imperial unit for measuring capacity, often used for milk or drinks.

irregular shape

An irregular shape is a shape whose sides and angles are not all equal.

cuboid

A cuboid has 12 edges.

cube

A cube has 6 flat faces.

parallelogram

A parallelogram is a quadrilateral with two pairs of parallel sides, where opposite sides are equal in length.

triangle

A triangle has 3 sides.

formula

A formula is a rule written using mathematical symbols that describes a relationship between quantities.

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.

am

Am (a.m.) means the time before midday, from midnight to 12 noon.

pm

Pm (p.m.) means the time after midday, from 12 noon to midnight.

noon

Noon means 12 o'clock in the middle of the day.

midnight

Midnight means 12 o'clock in the middle of the night.

convert

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

timetable

A timetable shows when events happen.

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is the standard time used in the UK during winter.

British Summer Time (BST)

British Summer Time (BST) is the time used in the UK during summer, 1 hour ahead of GMT.

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 means the price you must pay to buy something.

price

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

total

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

change

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.

decimal notation

Decimal notation means writing an amount, such as money, using a decimal point, for example £1.50.

percentage

A percentage is a way of showing an amount out of 100, using the % symbol.

discount

A discount is an amount taken off the original price of something.

profit

Profit is the money made after selling something for more than it cost to buy or make.

loss

Loss means selling something for less than it cost to buy.

data

Data is information we collect.

tally chart

A tally chart is a way of counting data using marks (|||| = 5).

pictogram

A pictogram uses pictures or symbols to show data.

bar chart

A bar chart uses bars (rectangles) to show data.

table

A table is a way of organising data in rows and columns.

symbol

A symbol is a picture or mark used to represent something. ★ could mean 1 child.

key

A key tells you what each symbol means. ★ = 1 child.

scale

A scale shows the numbers used to measure along an axis on a graph or chart.

axis

An axis is a labelled line on a graph that shows a scale, such as the horizontal or vertical axis.

horizontal axis

The horizontal axis is the flat, side-to-side line on a graph, often showing categories or time.

vertical axis

The vertical axis is the up-and-down line on a graph, often showing the scale of values.

count

Count means to find out how many there are.

total

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

most

Most means the greatest amount.

least

Least means the smallest amount.

equal

Equal means two numbers or amounts are the same.

compare

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

survey

A survey is when you ask people questions to collect data.

represent

Represent means to show data in a chart or diagram.

interpret

Interpret means to read and explain what the data shows.

line graph

A line graph is a graph that uses lines to show how data changes over time.

trend

A trend is the general direction in which data is changing.

timetable

A timetable shows when events happen (e.g., train times, school schedules).

pie chart

A pie chart is a circular graph that shows data as slices of a circle.

mean

The mean (often called the average) is the total of all values divided by the number of values.

average

The average (often called the mean) is the total of all values divided by the number of values.

range

The range is the difference between the highest and lowest values in a set of data.

biased

A sample is biased if it does not fairly represent the whole group being studied.

sample

A sample is a small group chosen from a larger population to collect data.

outcome

An outcome is a possible result of an event.

probability

Probability is the chance of an event happening.

likely

Likely means an event has a good chance of happening.

unlikely

Unlikely means an event has only a small chance of happening.

certain

Certain means an event is sure to happen.

impossible

Impossible means an event cannot happen.

chance

Chance means how likely something is to happen.

event

An event is something that happens.