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Math Dictionary for Kids
Theresa R. Fitzgerald
Prufrock Press Inc.
Paperback, $13.95, 263 pp.
ISBN-13: 978-1-61821-167-5
Math Dictionary for Kids, grades 4 to 9, is just perfect.
I wish my children had this book when young, but more than that, I wish I had the book when young. I plan to buy 5 copies to send to adults, not kids, but as soon as I find a pre-teen or teenager, I will play Santa Claus.
Because this is a Prufrock Press book, it is colorful, full of pictures and charts, and end pages that let you turn right to the page with information that you need. I am very partial to Prufrock, not because they are a well-known publishing company, but because they are so clever and original. Their format and content are equally effective.
Since this is a dictionary, it is, of course, alphabetical. For example, P.3 is Whole Numbers and Operations and starts with Ad-Ar: Addends, Addition, Arabic Numbers, and Arithmetic Progression. It’s very easy to look up anything because it IS alphabetical.
Under each alphabetical title are the details of what the operations do. As I flipped through the pages, I was horrified that I couldn’t remember every detail. I had to re-educate myself.
The following is a table of contents that is color coded, spaced, and meticulously labeled:
Table of Contents
Introduction
- Whole Numbers and Operations
- Measurement
- Algebraic Ideas
- Geometry
- Decimals, Fractions, Percents, and Ratios
- Statistics and Probability
- Problem Solving
- Quick Reference Guides
- Learning With Manipulatives
- Formulas
- Tables and charts
- Measurement Conversion Tables
- Basic Math Tools and Equipment
Index
About the Author
Common Core State Standards Alignment
Even though this is a dictionary and alphabetically ordered, the color coding makes it read easily. The front cover tells us that it is “The Essential Guide to Math Terms, Strategies, and Tables.” And that tells us not only the What but the How.
Elaine S. Wiener is Associate Editor for Book Reviews for the Gifted Education Communicator and can be reached at 17elaine@att.net.