A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W XYZ

P

pack

One of the base-ten pieces that is often used to represent 1000.
(See also base-ten pieces.)

pages 108–115, 459–460, 467

parallel

Two lines are parallel if they extend in the same direction. Parallel lines, just like parallel streets, stay the same distance apart and never meet.

pages 375–377

parallelogram

A quadrilateral with two pairs of parallel sides.

pages 410, 419–421

parentheses

Parentheses show that the calculations inside the parentheses should be done first. Here the parentheses say to subtract first:

(6 2) 3 = ?

4 × 3 = 12

pages 91, 255–256

partial product

A product of one digit of each of the numbers of a multidigit multiplication problem.

pages 159, 281, 285, 491, 492–497, 501, 504–507

partial quotient (division method)

A method of division using estimation.

pages 546–552

partition

To divide a number into parts.

pages 113, 227, 491

partitive measurement

Counting or measuring the number of times you can subtract the divisor from the whole group. Also called equal grouping (e.g., a basket has 32 apples. How many apples will go into 8 bags if they are divided evenly?).

pentagon

A five-sided polygon.

page 417

perimeter

The distance around a two-dimensional shape.

pages 52–53, 54–60, 61–62, 63–64

period

A group of three places in a large number, starting on the right, often separated by commas, is called a period.

pages 220–221, 230

perpendicular

Perpendicular lines are lines that meet at right angles.

pages 375–377, 421

place value

The value of a digit in a number depends upon where it is placed. For example, the 2 in 329 stands for 2 tens but the 2 in 7293 is 2 hundreds.

pages 115, 138, 213–246, 459, 463, 468

place value chart

A chart that shows the ones, thousands, and millions places for students to write numbers.

pages 220–223, 459, 463, 468

point

An exact position in the plane or in space.

pages 23, 28–29, 36–37, 39–41,48–49, 57, 165–168, 187–190, 195, 200–202, 225, 248–249, 320, 373–377, 380–381, 440–443

point graph

A graph that represents data as points and is used to represent data when both of the variables to be graphed are numerical.

pages 23, 28–29, 36–37, 39–41, 48–49, 57, 165–168, 187–190, 195, 200–202, 225, 248–249, 476, 574–576

polygon

A two-dimensional connected figure made of line-segments in which each endpoint of every side meets with an endpoint of exactly one other side.

pages 396–404, 406, 408–411, 415, 422–424, 425–427, 437, 439

polyhedron

A connected geometric solid whose surface is made of polygons.

population

A collection of persons or things whose properties will be analyzed in a survey or experiment.

positive number

A number greater than zero; a number to the right of zero on a horizontal number line.

pound

A unit for measuring mass equal to 16 ounces or about 450 grams.

pages 154, 273, 336, 340, 571

powers

The number of times a number is multiplied by itself. For example, 2 multiplied by itself a certain number of times. 21 = 2, 23 = 2 × 2 × 2 = 8, etc.

pages 69, 94, 225, 229

prediction

Using data to declare or foretell what is likely to occur.

pages 17–18, 28–29, 32, 38, 40–41, 42–43, 47, 164–168, 169, 172, 174, 184–190, 195–197, 201, 204, 206, 225, 248–249, 258, 259–261, 263, 475, 477, 479, 558–559, 560–561, 563–565, 573–575

prime factor

A factor of a number that is itself prime (e.g., 2 and 3 are prime factors of 6). (See also prime factorization.)

pages 97–100

prime factorization

Finding which prime numbers can be multiplied together to produce a number (e.g., the prime factorization of 12 is 2 2 3).

pages 97–100

prime number

A number that has exactly two factors, itself and 1. For example, 7 has exactly two distinct factors, 1 and 7.

pages 68–69, 81, 97–100

product

The answer to a multiplication problem. In the problem 3 × 4 = 12, 12 is the product.

pages 77, 84–85, 86–87, 92, 97–98, 101–102, 103–105, 158–160, 264–270, 353, 491, 492–497, 501–507

property

An attribute or characteristic of a shape that helps identify it.

pages 265, 419–421

protractor

An instrument used to draw and measure angles.

pages 385–392