NEW JERSEY

STUDENT LEARNING STANDARDS FOR

Mathematics | Grade 2
 New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Mathematics

Mathematics | Grade 2
In Grade 2, instructional time should focus on four critical areas: (1) extending
understanding of base-ten notation; (2) building fluency with addition and subtraction;
(3) using standard units of measure; and (4) describing and analyzing shapes.

(1) Students extend their understanding of the base-ten system. This includes ideas of
counting in fives, tens, and multiples of hundreds, tens, and ones, as well as number
relationships involving these units, including comparing. Students understand multi-digit
numbers (up to 1000) written in base-ten notation, recognizing that the digits in each
place represent amounts of thousands, hundreds, tens, or ones (e.g., 853 is 8 hundreds +
5 tens + 3 ones).

(2) Students use their understanding of addition to develop fluency with addition and
subtraction within 100. They solve problems within 1000 by applying their understanding
of models for addition and subtraction, and they develop, discuss, and use efficient,
accurate, and generalizable methods to compute sums and differences of whole numbers
in base-ten notation, using their understanding of place value and the properties of
operations. They select and accurately apply methods that are appropriate for the
context and the numbers involved to mentally calculate sums and differences for
numbers with only tens or only hundreds.

(3) Students recognize the need for standard units of measure (centimeter and inch) and
they use rulers and other measurement tools with the understanding that linear measure
involves an iteration of units. They recognize that the smaller the unit, the more
iterations they need to cover a given length.

(4) Students describe and analyze shapes by examining their sides and angles. Students
investigate, describe, and reason about decomposing and combining shapes to make
other shapes. Through building, drawing, and analyzing two- and three-dimensional
shapes, students develop a foundation for understanding area, volume, congruence,
similarity, and symmetry in later grades.

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 New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Mathematics

Grade 2 Overview

Operations and Algebraic Thinking Mathematical Practices

• Represent and solve problems involving 1. Make sense of problems and persevere in
addition and subtraction. solving them.
• Add and subtract within 20.
2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
• Work with equal groups of objects to gain
foundations for multiplication. 3. Construct viable arguments and critique the
reasoning of others.

Number and Operations in Base Ten 4. Model with mathematics.

• Understand place value. 5. Use appropriate tools strategically.

• Use place value understanding and 6. Attend to precision.
properties of operations to add and subtract.
7. Look for and make use of structure.
Measurement and Data 8. Look for and express regularity in repeated
• Measure and estimate lengths in standard reasoning
units.
• Relate addition and subtraction to length.
• Work with time and money.
• Represent and interpret data.

Geometry
• Reason with shapes and their attributes.

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Operations and Algebraic Thinking 2.OA

A. Represent and solve problems involving addition and subtraction.
1. Use addition and subtraction within 100 to solve one- and two-step word problems involving
situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with
unknowns in all positions, e.g., by using drawings and equations with a symbol for the
unknown number to represent the problem.1

B. Add and subtract within 20.

2. Fluently add and subtract within 20 using mental strategies.2 By end of Grade 2, know from
memory all sums of two one-digit numbers.

C. Work with equal groups of objects to gain foundations for multiplication.

3. Determine whether a group of objects (up to 20) has an odd or even number of members,
e.g., by pairing objects or counting them by 2s; write an equation to express an even number
as a sum of two equal addends.
4. Use addition to find the total number of objects arranged in rectangular arrays with up to 5
rows and up to 5 columns; write an equation to express the total as a sum of equal addends.

Number and Operations in Base Ten 2.NBT

A. Understand place value.
1. Understand that the three digits of a three-digit number represent amounts of hundreds,
tens, and ones; e.g., 706 equals 7 hundreds, 0 tens, and 6 ones. Understand the following as
special cases:
a. 100 can be thought of as a bundle of ten tens — called a “hundred.”
b. The numbers 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900 refer to one, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight, or nine hundreds (and 0 tens and 0 ones).
2. Count within 1000; skip-count by 5s, 10s, and 100s.
3. Read and write numbers to 1000 using base-ten numerals, number names, and expanded
form.
4. Compare two three-digit numbers based on meanings of the hundreds, tens, and ones digits,
using >, =, and < symbols to record the results of comparisons.

B. Use place value understanding and properties of operations to add and subtract.
5. Fluently add and subtract within 100 using strategies based on place value, properties of
operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction.
6. Add up to four two-digit numbers using strategies based on place value and properties of
operations.
7. Add and subtract within 1000, using concrete models or drawings and strategies based on
place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and
subtraction; relate the strategy to a written method. Understand that in adding or
subtracting three-digit numbers, one adds or subtracts hundreds and hundreds, tens and
tens, ones and ones; and sometimes it is necessary to compose or decompose tens or
hundreds.

See Glossary, Table 1.

1

See standard 1.OA.6 for a list of mental strategies.

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 New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Mathematics

8. Mentally add 10 or 100 to a given number 100–900, and mentally subtract 10 or 100 from a
given number 100–900.
9. Explain why addition and subtraction strategies work, using place value and the properties of
operations.3

Measurement and Data 2.MD

A. Measure and estimate lengths in standard units.
1. Measure the length of an object by selecting and using appropriate tools such as rulers,
yardsticks, meter sticks, and measuring tapes.
2. Measure the length of an object twice, using length units of different lengths for the two
measurements; describe how the two measurements relate to the size of the unit chosen.
3. Estimate lengths using units of inches, feet, centimeters, and meters.
4. Measure to determine how much longer one object is than another, expressing the length
difference in terms of a standard length unit.

B. Relate addition and subtraction to length.

5. Use addition and subtraction within 100 to solve word problems involving lengths that are
given in the same units, e.g., by using drawings (such as drawings of rulers) and equations
with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.
6. Represent whole numbers as lengths from 0 on a number line diagram with equally spaced
points corresponding to the numbers 0, 1, 2, ..., and represent whole-number sums and
differences within 100 on a number line diagram.

C. Work with time and money.

7. Tell and write time from analog and digital clocks to the nearest five minutes, using a.m. and
p.m.
8. Solve word problems involving dollar bills, quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies, using $ and
¢ symbols appropriately. Example: If you have 2 dimes and 3 pennies, how many cents do you
have?

D. Represent and interpret data.

9. Generate measurement data by measuring lengths of several objects to the nearest whole
unit, or by making repeated measurements of the same object. Show the measurements by
making a line plot, where the horizontal scale is marked off in whole-number units.
10. Draw a picture graph and a bar graph (with single-unit scale) to represent a data set with up
to four categories. Solve simple put together, take-apart, and compare problems4 using
information presented in a bar graph.

Explanations may be supported by drawings or objects.

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See Glossary, Table 1.

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 New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Mathematics

Geometry 2.G
A. Reason with shapes and their attributes.
1. Recognize and draw shapes having specified attributes, such as a given number of angles or a
given number of equal faces.5 Identify triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagons, and
cubes.
2. Partition a rectangle into rows and columns of same-size squares and count to find the total
number of them.
3. Partition circles and rectangles into two, three, or four equal shares, describe the shares
using the words halves, thirds, half of, a third of, etc., and describe the whole as two halves,
three thirds, four fourths. Recognize that equal shares of identical wholes need not have the
same shape.

Sizes are compared directly or visually, not compared by measuring.

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Mathematics | Standards for Mathematical Practice

The Standards for Mathematical Practice describe varieties of expertise that mathematics
educators at all levels should seek to develop in their students. These practices rest on important
“processes and proficiencies” with longstanding importance in mathematics education. The first
of these are the NCTM process standards of problem solving, reasoning and proof,
communication, representation, and connections. The second are the strands of mathematical
proficiency specified in the National Research Council’s report Adding It Up: adaptive reasoning,
strategic competence, conceptual understanding (comprehension of mathematical concepts,
operations and relations), procedural fluency (skill in carrying out procedures flexibly, accurately,
efficiently and appropriately), and productive disposition (habitual inclination to see mathematics
as sensible, useful, and worthwhile, coupled with a belief in diligence and one’s own efficacy).

1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

Mathematically proficient students start by explaining to themselves the meaning of a problem
and looking for entry points to its solution. They analyze givens, constraints, relationships, and
goals. They make conjectures about the form and meaning of the solution and plan a solution
pathway rather than simply jumping into a solution attempt. They consider analogous problems,
and try special cases and simpler forms of the original problem in order to gain insight into its
solution. They monitor and evaluate their progress and change course if necessary. Older
students might, depending on the context of the problem, transform algebraic expressions or
change the viewing window on their graphing calculator to get the information they need.
Mathematically proficient students can explain correspondences between equations, verbal
descriptions, tables, and graphs or draw diagrams of important features and relationships, graph
data, and search for regularity or trends. Younger students might rely on using concrete objects
or pictures to help conceptualize and solve a problem. Mathematically proficient students check
their answers to problems using a different method, and they continually ask themselves, “Does
this make sense?” They can understand the approaches of others to solving complex problems
and identify correspondences between different approaches.

2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

Mathematically proficient students make sense of quantities and their relationships in problem
situations. They bring two complementary abilities to bear on problems involving quantitative
relationships: the ability to decontextualize—to abstract a given situation and represent it
symbolically and manipulate the representing symbols as if they have a life of their own, without
necessarily attending to their referents—and the ability to contextualize, to pause as needed
during the manipulation process in order to probe into the referents for the symbols involved.
Quantitative reasoning entails habits of creating a coherent representation of the problem at
hand; considering the units involved; attending to the meaning of quantities, not just how to
compute them; and knowing and flexibly using different properties of operations and objects.

3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.

Mathematically proficient students understand and use stated assumptions, definitions, and
previously established results in constructing arguments. They make conjectures and build a
logical progression of statements to explore the truth of their conjectures. They are able to
analyze situations by breaking them into cases, and can recognize and use counterexamples.
They justify their conclusions, communicate them to others, and respond to the arguments of
others. They reason inductively about data, making plausible arguments that take into account
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the context from which the data arose. Mathematically proficient students are also able to
compare the effectiveness of two plausible arguments, distinguish correct logic or reasoning
from that which is flawed, and—if there is a flaw in an argument—explain what it is. Elementary
students can construct arguments using concrete referents such as objects, drawings, diagrams,
and actions. Such arguments can make sense and be correct, even though they are not
generalized or made formal until later grades. Later, students learn to determine domains to
which an argument applies. Students at all grades can listen or read the arguments of others,
decide whether they make sense, and ask useful questions to clarify or improve the arguments.

4 Model with mathematics.

Mathematically proficient students can apply the mathematics they know to solve problems
arising in everyday life, society, and the workplace. In early grades, this might be as simple as
writing an addition equation to describe a situation. In middle grades, a student might apply
proportional reasoning to plan a school event or analyze a problem in the community. By high
school, a student might use geometry to solve a design problem or use a function to describe
how one quantity of interest depends on another. Mathematically proficient students who can
apply what they know are comfortable making assumptions and approximations to simplify a
complicated situation, realizing that these may need revision later. They are able to identify
important quantities in a practical situation and map their relationships using such tools as
diagrams, two-way tables, graphs, flowcharts and formulas. They can analyze those relationships
mathematically to draw conclusions. They routinely interpret their mathematical results in the
context of the situation and reflect on whether the results make sense, possibly improving the
model if it has not served its purpose.

5 Use appropriate tools strategically.

Mathematically proficient students consider the available tools when solving a mathematical
problem. These tools might include pencil and paper, concrete models, a ruler, a protractor, a
calculator, a spreadsheet, a computer algebra system, a statistical package, or dynamic geometry
software. Proficient students are sufficiently familiar with tools appropriate for their grade or
course to make sound decisions about when each of these tools might be helpful, recognizing
both the insight to be gained and their limitations. For example, mathematically proficient high
school students analyze graphs of functions and solutions generated using a graphing calculator.
They detect possible errors by strategically using estimation and other mathematical knowledge.
When making mathematical models, they know that technology can enable them to visualize the
results of varying assumptions, explore consequences, and compare predictions with data.
Mathematically proficient students at various grade levels are able to identify relevant external
mathematical resources, such as digital content located on a website, and use them to pose or
solve problems. They are able to use technological tools to explore and deepen their
understanding of concepts.

6 Attend to precision.
Mathematically proficient students try to communicate precisely to others. They try to use clear
definitions in discussion with others and in their own reasoning. They state the meaning of the
symbols they choose, including using the equal sign consistently and appropriately. They are
careful about specifying units of measure, and labeling axes to clarify the correspondence with
quantities in a problem. They calculate accurately and efficiently, express numerical answers with
a degree of precision appropriate for the problem context. In the elementary grades, students
give carefully formulated explanations to each other. By the time they reach high school they
have learned to examine claims and make explicit use of definitions.

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7 Look for and make use of structure.

Mathematically proficient students look closely to discern a pattern or structure. Young students,
for example, might notice that three and seven more is the same amount as seven and three
more, or they may sort a collection of shapes according to how many sides the shapes have.
Later, students will see 7 × 8 equals the well remembered 7 × 5 + 7 × 3, in preparation for
learning about the distributive property. In the expression x2 + 9x + 14, older students can see the
14 as 2 × 7 and the 9 as 2 + 7. They recognize the significance of an existing line in a geometric
figure and can use the strategy of drawing an auxiliary line for solving problems. They also can
step back for an overview and shift perspective. They can see complicated things, such as some
algebraic expressions, as single objects or as being composed of several objects. For example,
they can see 5 – 3(x – y)2 as 5 minus a positive number times a square and use that to realize that
its value cannot be more than 5 for any real numbers x and y.

8 Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

Mathematically proficient students notice if calculations are repeated, and look both for general
methods and for shortcuts. Upper elementary students might notice when dividing 25 by 11 that
they are repeating the same calculations over and over again, and conclude they have a
repeating decimal. By paying attention to the calculation of slope as they repeatedly check
whether points are on the line through (1, 2) with slope 3, middle school students might abstract
the equation (y – 2)/(x – 1) = 3. Noticing the regularity in the way terms cancel when expanding (x
– 1)(x + 1), (x – 1)(x2 + x + 1), and (x – 1)(x3 + x2 + x + 1) might lead them to the general formula for
the sum of a geometric series. As they work to solve a problem, mathematically proficient
students maintain oversight of the process, while attending to the details. They continually
evaluate the reasonableness of their intermediate results.

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 New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Mathematics

Connecting the Standards for Mathematical Practice to the Standards for

Mathematical Content

The Standards for Mathematical Practice describe ways in which developing student practitioners
of the discipline of mathematics increasingly ought to engage with the subject matter as they
grow in mathematical maturity and expertise throughout the elementary, middle and high school
years. Designers of curricula, assessments, and professional development should all attend to the
need to connect the mathematical practices to mathematical content in mathematics instruction.

The Standards for Mathematical Content are a balanced combination of procedure and
understanding. Expectations that begin with the word “understand” are often especially good
opportunities to connect the practices to the content. Students who lack understanding of a topic
may rely on procedures too heavily. Without a flexible base from which to work, they may be less
likely to consider analogous problems, represent problems coherently, justify conclusions, apply
the mathematics to practical situations, use technology mindfully to work with the mathematics,
explain the mathematics accurately to other students, step back for an overview, or deviate from
a known procedure to find a shortcut. In short, a lack of understanding effectively prevents a
student from engaging in the mathematical practices.

In this respect, those content standards, which set an expectation of understanding, are potential
“points of intersection” between the Standards for Mathematical Content and the Standards for
Mathematical Practice. These points of intersection are intended to be weighted toward central
and generative concepts in the school mathematics curriculum that most merit the time,
resources, innovative energies, and focus necessary to qualitatively improve the curriculum,
instruction, assessment, professional development, and student achievement in mathematics.

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Glossary
Addition and subtraction within 5, 10, 20, 100, or 1000. Addition or subtraction of two whole numbers
with whole number answers, and with sum or minuend in the range 0-5, 0-10, 0-20, or 0-100, respectively.
Example: 8 + 2 = 10 is an addition within 10, 14 – 5 = 9 is a subtraction within 20, and 55 – 18 = 37 is a
subtraction within 100.
Additive inverses. Two numbers whose sum is 0 are additive inverses of one another. Example: 3/4 and –
3/4 are additive inverses of one another because 3/4 + (– 3/4) = (– 3/4) + 3/4 = 0.
Associative property of addition. See Table 3 in this Glossary.
Associative property of multiplication. See Table 3 in this Glossary.
Bivariate data. Pairs of linked numerical observations. Example: a list of heights and weights for each
player on a football team.
Box plot. A method of visually displaying a distribution of data values by using the median, quartiles, and
extremes of the data set. A box shows the middle
50% of the data.1
Commutative property. See Table 3 in this Glossary.
Complex fraction. A fraction A/B where A and/or B are fractions (B nonzero).
Computation algorithm. A set of predefined steps applicable to a class of problems that gives the correct
result in every case when the steps are carried out correctly. See also: computation strategy.
Computation strategy. Purposeful manipulations that may be chosen for specific problems, may not have a
fixed order, and may be aimed at converting one problem into another. See also: computation algorithm.
Congruent. Two plane or solid figures are congruent if one can be obtained from the other by rigid motion
(a sequence of rotations, reflections, and translations).
Counting on. A strategy for finding the number of objects in a group without having to count every
member of the group. For example, if a stack of books is known to have 8 books and 3 more books are
added to the top, it is not necessary to count the stack all over again. One can find the total by counting
on—pointing to the top book and saying “eight,” following this with “nine, ten, eleven. There are eleven
books now.”
Dot plot. See: line plot.
Dilation. A transformation that moves each point along the ray through the point emanating from a fixed
center, and multiplies distances from the center by a common scale factor.
Expanded form. A multi-digit number is expressed in expanded form when it is written as a sum of single-
digit multiples of powers of ten. For example, 643 = 600 + 40 + 3.
Expected value. For a random variable, the weighted average of its possible values, with weights given by
their respective probabilities.
First quartile. For a data set with median M, the first quartile is the median of the data values less than M.
Example: For the data set {1, 3, 6, 7, 10, 12, 14, 15, 22, 120}, the first quartile is 6.2 See also: median, third
quartile, interquartile range.
Fraction. A number expressible in the form a/b where a is a whole number and b is a positive whole
number. (The word fraction in these standards always refers to a non-negative number.) See also: rational
number.
Identity property of 0. See Table 3 in this Glossary.
Independently combined probability models. Two probability models are said to be combined
independently if the probability of each ordered pair in the combined model equals the product of the
original probabilities of the two individual outcomes in the ordered pair.

Adapted from Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, http://dpi.wi.gov/standards/mathglos.html , accessed March 2, 2010.
1

Many different methods for computing quartiles are in use. The method defined here is sometimes called the Moore and McCabe
2

method. See Langford, E., “Quartiles in Elementary Statistics,” Journal of Statistics Education Volume 14, Number 3 (2006).

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Integer. A number expressible in the form a or –a for some whole number a.

Interquartile Range. A measure of variation in a set of numerical data, the interquartile range is the
distance between the first and third quartiles of the data set. Example: For the data set {1, 3, 6, 7, 10, 12,
14, 15, 22, 120}, the interquartile range is 15 – 6 = 9. See also: first quartile, third quartile.
Line plot. A method of visually displaying a distribution of data values where each data value is shown as a
dot or mark above a number line. Also known as a dot plot.3
Mean. A measure of center in a set of numerical data, computed by adding the values in a list and then
dividing by the number of values in the list.4 Example: For the data set {1, 3, 6, 7, 10, 12, 14, 15, 22, 120},
the mean is 21.
Mean absolute deviation. A measure of variation in a set of numerical data, computed by adding the
distances between each data value and the mean, then dividing by the number of data values. Example:
For the data set {2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 12, 14, 15, 22, 120}, the mean absolute deviation is 20.
Median. A measure of center in a set of numerical data. The median of a list of values is the value
appearing at the center of a sorted version of the list—or the mean of the two central values, if the list
contains an even number of values. Example: For the data set {2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 12, 14, 15, 22, 90}, the median
is 11.
Midline. In the graph of a trigonometric function, the horizontal line halfway between its maximum and
minimum values.
Multiplication and division within 100. Multiplication or division of two whole numbers with whole
number answers, and with product or dividend in the range 0-100. Example: 72 ÷ 8 = 9.
Multiplicative inverses. Two numbers whose product is 1 are multiplicative inverses of one another.
Example: 3/4 and 4/3 are multiplicative inverses of one another because 3/4 × 4/3 = 4/3 × 3/4 = 1.
Number line diagram. A diagram of the number line used to represent numbers and support reasoning
about them. In a number line diagram for measurement quantities, the interval from 0 to 1 on the diagram
represents the unit of measure for the quantity.
Percent rate of change. A rate of change expressed as a percent. Example: if a population grows from 50 to
55 in a year, it grows by 5/50 = 10% per year.
Probability distribution. The set of possible values of a random variable with a probability assigned to
each.
Properties of operations. See Table 3 in this Glossary.
Properties of equality. See Table 4 in this Glossary.
Properties of inequality. See Table 5 in this Glossary.
Properties of operations. See Table 3 in this Glossary.
Probability. A number between 0 and 1 used to quantify likelihood for processes that have uncertain
outcomes (such as tossing a coin, selecting a person at random from a group of people, tossing a ball at a
target, or testing for a medical condition).
Probability model. A probability model is used to assign probabilities to outcomes of a chance process by
examining the nature of the process. The set of all outcomes is called the sample space, and their
probabilities sum to 1. See also: uniform probability model.
Random variable. An assignment of a numerical value to each outcome in a sample space.
Rational expression. A quotient of two polynomials with a non-zero denominator.
Rational number. A number expressible in the form a/b or – a/b for some fraction a/b. The rational
numbers include the integers.
Rectilinear figure. A polygon all angles of which are right angles.
Rigid motion. A transformation of points in space consisting of a sequence of one or more translations,
reflections, and/or rotations. Rigid motions are here assumed to preserve distances and angle measures.

Adapted from Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, op. cit.

3

To be more precise, this defines the arithmetic mean.

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Repeating decimal. The decimal form of a rational number. See also: terminating decimal.
Sample space. In a probability model for a random process, a list of the individual outcomes that are to be
considered.
Scatter plot. A graph in the coordinate plane representing a set of bivariate data. For example, the heights
and weights of a group of people could be displayed on a scatter plot.5
Similarity transformation. A rigid motion followed by a dilation
Tape diagram. A drawing that looks like a segment of tape, used to illustrate number relationships. Also
known as a strip diagram, bar model, fraction strip, or length model.
Terminating decimal. A decimal is called terminating if its repeating digit is 0.
Third quartile. For a data set with median M, the third quartile is the median of the data values greater
than M. Example: For the data set {2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 12, 14, 15, 22, 120}, the third quartile is 15. See also:
median, first quartile, interquartile range.
Transitivity principle for indirect measurement. If the length of object A is greater than the length of
object B, and the length of object B is greater than the length of object C, then the length of object A is
greater than the length of object C. This principle applies to measurement of other quantities as well.
Uniform probability model. A probability model which assigns equal probability to all outcomes. See also:
probability model.
Vector. A quantity with magnitude and direction in the plane or in space, defined by an ordered pair or
triple of real numbers.
Visual fraction model. A tape diagram, number line diagram, or area model.
Whole numbers. The numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, ….

Adapted from Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, op. cit.

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Table 1. Common addition and subtraction situations.6

Result Unknown Change Unknown Start Unknown

Two bunnies sat on the grass. Two bunnies were sitting on Some bunnies were sitting on
Three more bunnies hopped the grass. Some more bunnies the grass. Three more bunnies
there. How many bunnies are hopped there. Then there hopped there. Then there
on the grass now? were five bunnies. How many were five bunnies. How many
Add to bunnies hopped over to the bunnies were on the grass
2+3=? first two? before?

2+?=5 ?+3=5
Five apples were on the table. I Five apples were on the table. Some apples were on the
ate two apples. How many I ate some apples. Then there table. I ate two apples. Then
apples are on the table now? were three apples. How many there were three apples. How
Take from apples did I eat? many apples were on the
table before?
5–2=? 5–?=3
?–2=3
Total Unknown Addend Unknown Both Addends Unknown1
Three red apples and two green Five apples are on the table. Grandma has five flowers.
apples are on the table. How Three are red and the rest are How many can she put in her
many apples are on the table? green. How many apples are red vase and how many in her
Put Together/ green? blue vase?
Take Apart2
3+2=? 3 + ? = 5, 5 – 3 = ? 5 = 0 + 5, 5 = 5 + 0
5 = 1 + 4, 5 = 4 + 1
5 = 2 + 3, 5 = 3 + 2
Difference Unknown Bigger Unknown Smaller Unknown
(“How many more?” version): (Version with “more”): (Version with “more”):

Lucy has two apples. Julie has Julie has three more apples Julie has three more apples
five apples. How many more than Lucy. Lucy has two than Lucy. Julie has five
apples does Julie have than apples. How many apples apples. How many apples
Lucy? does Julie have? does Lucy have?

Compare3 (“How many fewer?” version): (Version with “fewer”): (Version with “fewer”):

Lucy has two apples. Julie has Lucy has 3 fewer apples than Lucy has 3 fewer apples than
five apples. How many fewer Julie. Lucy has two apples. Julie. Julie has five apples.
apples does Lucy have than How many apples does Julie How many apples does Lucy
Julie? have? have?

2 + ? = 5, 5 – 2 = ? 2 + 3 = ?, 3 + 2 = ? 5 – 3 = ?, ? + 3 = 5

1These take apart situations can be used to show all the decompositions of a given number. The associated equations, which have the total on the left of the
equal sign, help children understand that the = sign does not always mean makes or results in but always does mean is the same number as.
2Either addend can be unknown, so there are three variations of these problem situations. Both Addends Unknown is a productive extension of this basic

situation, especially for small numbers less than or equal to 10.

3For the Bigger Unknown or Smaller Unknown situations, one version directs the correct operation (the version using more for the bigger unknown and using

less for the smaller unknown). The other versions are more difficult.

Adapted from Box 2-4 of National Research Council (2009, op. cit., pp. 32, 33).
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Table 2. Common multiplication and division situations.

Group Size Unknown Number of Groups Unknown

Unknown Product (“How many in each group?” (“How many groups?”
Division) Division)
3x6=? 3 x ? = 18, and 18 ÷ 3 = ? ? x 6 = 18, and 18 ÷ 6 = ?
There are 3 bags with 6 plums If 18 plums are shared equally If 18 plums are to be packed 6
in each bag. How many plums into 3 bags, then how many to a bag, then how many bags
are there in all? plums will be in each bag? are needed?

Equal Groups Measurement example. You Measurement example. You Measurement example. You
need 3 lengths of string, each have 18 inches of string, which have 18 inches of string, which
6 inches long. How much string you will cut into 3 equal pieces. you will cut into pieces that are
will you need altogether? How long will each piece of 6 inches long. How many pieces
string be? of string will you have?
There are 3 rows of apples If 18 apples are arranged into 3 If 18 apples are arranged into
with 6 apples in each row. How equal rows, how many apples equal rows of 6 apples, how
many apples are there? will be in each row? many rows will there be?
Arrays,4
Area5 Area example. What is the area Area example. A rectangle has Area example. A rectangle has
of a 3 cm by 6 cm rectangle? area 18 square centimeters. If area 18 square centimeters. If
one side is 3 cm long, how long one side is 6 cm long, how long
is a side next to it? is a side next to it?
A blue hat costs $6. A red hat costs A red hat costs $18 and that is A red hat costs $18 and a blue
3 times as much as the 3 times as much as a blue hat hat costs $6. How many times
blue hat. How much does the
costs. How much does a blue as much does the red hat cost
red hat cost?
hat cost? as the blue hat?

Compare Measurement example. A Measurement example. A Measurement example. A

rubber band is 6 cm long. How rubber band is stretched to be rubber band was 6 cm long at
long will the rubber band be
18 cm long and that is 3 times first. Now it is stretched to be
when it is stretched to be 3
as long as it was at first. How 18 cm long. How many times as
times as long?
long was the rubber band at long is the rubber band now as
first? it was at first?
General a×b=? a × ? = p, and p ÷ a = ? ? × b = p, and p ÷ b = ?

4The language in the array examples shows the easiest form of array problems. A harder form is to use the terms rows and columns: The apples in
the grocery window are in 3 rows and 6 columns. How many apples are in there? Both forms are valuable.
5Area involves arrays of squares that have been pushed together so that there are no gaps or overlaps, so array problems include these especially

important measurement situations.

7The first examples in each cell are examples of discrete things. These are easier for students and should be given
before the measurement examples.

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 New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Mathematics

Table 3. The properties of operations. Here a, b and c stand for arbitrary numbers in a given number
system. The properties of operations apply to the rational number system, the real number system, and the
complex number system.

Associative property of addition (a + b) + c = a + (b + c)

Commutative property of addition a+b=b+a
Additive identity property of 0 a+0=0+a=a
Existence of additive inverses For every a there exists –a so that a + (–a) = (–a) + a = 0.
Associative property of multiplication (a x b) x c = a x (b x c)
Commutative property of multiplication axb=bxa
Multiplicative identity property of 1 ax1=1xa=a
Existence of multiplicative inverses For every a ≠ 0 there exists 1/a so that a x 1/a = 1/a x a = 1.
Distributive property of multiplication over addition a x (b + c) = a x b + a x c

Table 4. The properties of equality. Here a, b and c stand for arbitrary numbers in the rational, real, or
complex number systems.

Reflexive property of equality a=a

Symmetric property of equality If a = b, then b = a.
Transitive property of equality If a = b and b = c, then a = c.
Addition property of equality If a = b, then a + c = b + c.
Subtraction property of equality If a = b, then a – c = b – c.
Multiplication property of equality If a = b, then a x c = b x c.
Division property of equality If a = b and c ≠ 0, then a ÷c = b ÷ c.
Substitution property of equality If a = b, then b may be substituted for a
in any expression containing a.

Table 5. The properties of inequality. Here a, b and c stand for arbitrary numbers in the rational or real
number systems.

Exactly one of the following is true: a < b, a = b, a > b.

If a > b and b > c then a > c.
If a > b, then b < a.
If a > b, then –a < –b.
If a > b, then a ± c > b ± c.
If a > b and c > 0, then a x c > b x c.
If a > b and c < 0, then a x c < b x c.
If a > b and c > 0, then a ÷c > b ÷ c.
If a > b and c < 0, then a ÷c < b ÷ c.

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