Analyze

Analyze requires students to examine carefully, take apart mathematically, and break down into components or essential characteristics to identify causes, key factors, and possible results.

Apply

Apply requires a student to use mathematical knowledge in a variety of situations.

Calculate

Calculate requires a student to determine an answer.

Classify

Students classify by determining characteristics (attributes) that objects (numbers, shapes, etc.) share, and characteristics (attributes) they don't share.

Compare

Students compare by examining two or more objects, numbers or mathematical situations in order to determine similarities and differences.

Compose

Compose requires students to form or make something (numbers, functions, sets, etc.) by combining parts.

Convert

Students convert by changing the form (e.g. measurement, different units) without a change in the size or amount.

Decompose

Students decompose by separating into parts in terms of simpler components that allows for students to see groupings, relationships and patterns.

Demonstrate

Students demonstrate understanding and application of the content in the standard through narrative (oral or written), modeling (including pictures, diagrams or technology), algebraic work or any mathematically appropriate method that clearly communicates the steps leading to the solution or conclusion needed.

Derive

Derive requires the student to utilize current or specified knowledge to formulate a “new” theorem, formula or relationship.

Describe

Describe requires that students illustrate their thinking or justifications through verbal (oral or written) statements that may reference a drawing/diagram/model.

Determine

To determine requires finding something out or establishing exactly, typically as a result of research or calculation.

Develop

Develop requires a student to engage in experimentation or argumentation that leads to a mathematically appropriate conclusion.

Differentiate

Differentiate requires a student to determine the difference between two or more things.

Distinguish

Distinguish requires students to recognize distinct or different characteristics (attributes).

Evaluate

Evaluate requires that a student find the value of a mathematical expression.

Explain

Explain requires a student to provide verbal (oral or written) evidence to support a conclusion or solution.

Explore

Explore requires the student to learn the concept in the standard through a variety of instructional activities. Repeated experiences with these concepts, with immersion in the concrete, are vital.

Explore indicates that the topic is an important concept that builds the foundation for progression toward mastery in later grades.  However, mastery at the current level is not expected for that standard.  

Express

Express requires students to change an amount or quantity into a different form.

Fluent

The word fluent is used in the Standards to mean “fast and accurate.” Fluency in each grade involves a mixture of just knowing some answers, knowing some answers from patterns and knowing some answers from the use of strategies.
For additional information refer to pages 18-19 of Progressions for the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics.

Principles and Standards for School Mathematics states, “Computational fluency refers to having efficient and accurate methods for computing. Students exhibit computational fluency when they demonstrate flexibility in the computational methods they choose, understand and can explain these methods, and produce accurate answers efficiently.  

Required Grade Level Fluencies for Grades K-8:

Required grade level fluencies are available from EngageNY at Required Fluencies for Grades K-8 Standards for Mathematics.

Standards that are recommended fluencies at the High School level are identified in each set of standards for Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry.

Generate

Generate requires students to create something by the application of one or more mathematical rules or operations.

Identify

Identify requires students to recognize a mathematical concept using prior knowledge.

Interpret

Interpret requires students to make sense of and assign meaning to a mathematical task and explain the reasoning behind it.

Justify

Justify requires a student to show evidence and/or steps that illustrate the mathematics leading to a solution or conclusion. Note: Words are acceptable but not necessary.

Know

Know requires students have a firm mathematical understanding through awareness of situations, facts, information, and skills.

Make

Make requires a student to create a picture, diagram or model to illustrate a mathematical concept.

Prove

Prove requires students to demonstrate that an argument is universally true where each step and conclusion must be supported by evidence and/or reasoning.  This can be shown through a variety of strategies.

Recognize

Recognize requires students to identify mathematical concepts based on previous facts or knowledge.

Reference

Reference requires students to apply a specified mathematical concept.

Represent

Represent requires students to communicate a mathematical concept through pictures, diagrams, models, symbols, or algebraic notation.

Solve

Solve requires the students to find the answer to specified problem.

Specify

Specify requires the student to clearly articulate or describe mathematical properties or procedures.

State

State requires students to give an answer without calculations or underlying work.

Understand

Understand requires a student to grasp sufficient knowledge of a mathematical concept in order to explain or apply it.

Use

Use requires the student to apply designated processes, strategies or mathematical concepts.

Verify

Verify requires students demonstrate that a mathematical concept is true or accurate.

Written Method/
Representation

A written method/representation is any way of representing a strategy using words, pictures or numbers.