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MATHEMATICAl OPERATIONS

Remember what each sign signifies:

+  means plus, or and, or added to: 2 + 3 = 5 reads:  2 plus 3 is 5, or 2 and 3 is 5, or 2 plus 3


equals 5, or 3 added to 2 is 5, or 2 plus 3 is 5.

–  means minus, or less, or subtracted from:  6 – 4 = 2 reads: 6 minus 4 is 2, or 6 less 4 is 2,


or 4 subtracted from 6 is 2, or 6 minus 4 equals 2.

x  means times, or multiplied by: 2 x 3 = 6 reads: 2 times 3 is 6, or 2 multiplied by 3 is 6, or 2


times 3 equals 6.

÷  means divided by, or goes into:  8 ÷ 2 = 4 reads: 8 divided by 2 is 4, or 2 goes into 8  4


times, or 8 divided by 2 equals 4.

1.  Addition means to add.  Add 2 and 2 and you get 4.   2 + 2 = 4  (2 PLUS 2  is 4)
or (2 AND 2 is 4)

2.  Subtraction means to subtract.  Subtract 4 from 9 and you get 5.   9 - 4 = 5  (9
MINUS 4 is 5)

3.  Multiplication means to multiply.   Multiply  3 by 4 and you get 12.   4 X 3 = 12  (4
TIMES 3 is 12)

4.  Division means to divide.  Divide 18 by 6 and you get 3.   18 ÷ 6 = 3  (18 DIVIDED
BY 6 is 3)

5.  =  is the equals sign (say is or are or equal or equals) 

      +  is the plus sign (say plus or and) 

       -  or  –   is the minus sign (say minus, or subtracted from: 4 subtracted from 9 is
5)

          X or x   is the times sign (say times, or multiplied by: 3 multiplied by 4 is 12)
          ÷  is the  division  sign (say divided by,or goes into: 6 goes into 18 three times)

           .  is the decimal point or decimal or point  (say  point: 3.7 = 3 POINT 7,   NOT
3 decimal point 7,

                NOT 3 decimal 7)

6.  Fractions (e.g., 1/5)  and Decimals (e.g., 0.2)

            1/5  = one-fifth  =  .2  =  two-tenths

            1/4  =  one-fourth  =  .25  =  25 hundredths

            1/3  =  one-third  =  .33  = 33 hundredths

            1/2  =  one-half  =  .5  =  five-tenths

            2/3  =  two-thirds

            3/4  =  three-fourths

            1 1/2  =  one and a half OR one and one-half  =  1.5  =  one point five

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