By the end of the school year, all students should be able to:
■ Use scientific notation to express very large and very small numbers. For example, 1 trillion (1,000,000,000,000) can be written as 10 to the 12th power, or 1012.
■ Add, subtract, multiply, and divide integers—positive whole numbers (1, 2, 3, …), negative whole numbers (–1, –2, –3, …), and zero.
■ Use the circumference or area of a circle to find the radius and diameter of a circle. For example, the circumference equals the diameter multiplied by π (≈3.1416), so if the circumference of a circle is 15 units, divide 15 by 3.1416 to get a diameter of approximately 4.77 units.
■ Understand and apply the geometry of right triangles, including the Pythagorean theorem. The sum of the squares of the two sides of a right triangle equals the square of its hypotenuse, or a2 + b2 = c2.
■ Identify customary units of mass, such as pound and ounce, and metric units of mass, such as gram and kilogram.
■ Calculate distance using a map scale. For example, if the scale is 1 inch = 10 miles, calculate the distance between two points that are 4½ inches apart on a map.
■ Calculate and compare unit prices. For example, if an 8-ounce carton of milk costs $0.60 and a 12-ounce bottle costs $1.00, calculate the cost per ounce of each to find out which is the better bargain.
■ Convert money between different currencies. For example, calculate how much $100.00 is in Euros, the currency used by nations in the European Union.
■ Solve multistep equations, such as 2x + 3 + 5x = 10, by combining like terms.
■ Use estimation to see if an answer to a problem is reasonable.
Learning at Home
Open a college savings account with your child and set savings goals.
“On-Lion” for Kids, the New York Public Library’s Web site for young people, has great math and science games and explorations at kids.nypl.org/science/math.cfm, including homework help and Q&As on middle school math concepts and problems.
Talk with your child and your child’s teachers. The math curriculum may have changed since you were a student. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. For tips on how to support your child, go to www.figurethis.org, and click on “Family Corner.”