Mathematics for Grade 6

1. Number Sense

Place Value

Understanding place value is crucial for working with large numbers. Each digit in a number has a specific
value based on its position. For example, in the number 5,432:

The digit 5 is in the thousands place, so its value is 5 × 1000= 5000.

The digit 4 is in the hundreds place, so its value is 4 × 100 = 400.
The digit 3 is in the tens place, so its value is 3 × 10 = 30.
The digit 2 is in the ones place, so its value is 2 × 1 = 2.

Rounding

Rounding simplifies numbers to a specific place value. To round a number:

1. Identify the digit in the place value you want to round to.
2. Look at the digit immediately to its right.
3. If the digit to the right is 5 or greater, round the digit up by one.
4. If the digit to the right is less than 5, keep the digit the same.
5. All digits to the right of the rounded digit become zeros.

Example: Round 7,834 to the nearest hundred.

The digit in the hundreds place is 8.

The digit to its right is 3.
Since 3 is less than 5, we keep the 8 the same.
The digits to the right of the hundreds place (3 and 4) become zeros.
So, 7,834 rounded to the nearest hundred is 7,800.

Comparing and Ordering

We use the following symbols to compare numbers:

< means "less than"

> means "greater than"
= means "equal to"

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To compare numbers, start from the leftmost digit and compare the digits in each place value.

Example: Compare 1,234 and 1,324.

The thousands digits are both 1.

The hundreds digits are 2 and 3. Since 3 > 2, then 1,324 > 1,234.

2. Operations

Addition and Subtraction

These operations involve combining or taking away quantities. Multi-digit addition and subtraction often
require regrouping (carrying over or borrowing).

Example (Addition with Regrouping): 347 + 185

347
+ 185
-----
532

(7+5=12, write down 2, carry over 1)

(4+8+1=13, write down 3, carry over 1)
(3+1+1=5, write down 5)

Example (Subtraction with Regrouping): 523 − 248

523
- 248
-----
275

(3-8: cannot subtract, borrow from tens place. 2 becomes 1, 3 becomes 13. 13-
8=5)
(1-4: cannot subtract, borrow from hundreds place. 5 becomes 4, 1 becomes 11.
11-4=7)
(4-2=2)

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Multiplication

Multiplication is repeated addition. For multi-digit multiplication, we use a process of multiplying each digit
of one number by each digit of the other, then adding the partial products. The distributive property states
that a × (b + c) = (a × b) + (a × c).

Example: 24 × 15

24
x 15
-----
120 (5 x 24)
240 (10 x 24)
-----
360

Division

Division is splitting a quantity into equal parts. Long division is a systematic way to perform division.
Remainders occur when a number cannot be divided equally.

Example (Long Division): 145 ÷ 3

48 R 1
_______
3 | 145
12
---
25
24
---
1

3 goes into 14 four times (3 × 4 = 12). Subtract 12 from 14 to get 2.

Bring down the 5 to make 25.
3 goes into 25 eight times (3 × 8= 24). Subtract 24 from 25 to get 1.
The quotient is 48, and the remainder is 1. This can be written as 48 13 .​

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3. Fractions

Understanding Fractions

A fraction represents a part of a whole. It has a numerator (top number) and a denominator (bottom
number). Equivalent fractions represent the same value.

Example: 12 is equivalent to 24 , 36 , etc. We can find equivalent fractions by multiplying or dividing both the
​ ​ ​

numerator and denominator by the same non-zero number.

Adding and Subtracting Fractions

Like Denominators: If fractions have the same denominator, add or subtract the numerators and
keep the denominator the same.
2 1 2+1 3
Example: 5 + 5 = 5 = 5
​ ​ ​ ​

Unlike Denominators: Find a common denominator (often the least common multiple, LCM) for
both fractions. Convert each fraction to an equivalent fraction with the common denominator, then
add or subtract the numerators.
1 1
Example: 3 + 2
​ ​

The LCM of 3 and 2 is 6.

1 2
Convert 3 to 6 (multiply numerator and denominator by 2).
​

Convert 12 to 36 (multiply numerator and denominator by 3).

​

Now add: 26 ​
+ 3
6
​
= 2+3
6
​
= 56 . ​

Multiplying and Dividing Fractions

Multiplication: Multiply the numerators together and the denominators together. Simplify if
possible.
2 1 2×1 2 1
Example: 3 × 4 = 3×4 = 12 = 6
​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Division: To divide by a fraction, multiply by its reciprocal (invert the second fraction).
3 1 3 2 3×2 6 3
Example: 4 ​
÷ 2
​
= 4
​
× 1
​
= 4×1
​
= 4
​
= 2
​

4. Decimals

Understanding Decimals

Decimals are another way to represent parts of a whole, based on powers of ten. The place values to the
right of the decimal point are tenths, hundredths, thousandths, and so on.

75 3
Example: 0.75 means 7 tenths and 5 hundredths, which is equivalent to 100 or 4 . ​ ​

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Operations with Decimals

Addition and Subtraction: Line up the decimal points vertically and add or subtract as with whole
numbers.
Example: 3.45 + 1.2 = 4.65
Example: 5.6 − 2.15 = 3.45
Multiplication: Multiply the numbers as if they were whole numbers. Then, count the total number
of decimal places in the original numbers and place the decimal point in the product so it has that
many decimal places.
Example: 2.5 × 1.2 = 3.00 (or 3.0)
Division: To divide by a decimal, move the decimal point in the divisor (the number you are dividing
by) to the right until it is a whole number. Move the decimal point in the dividend (the number being
divided) the same number of places to the right. Then, divide as usual, placing the decimal point in
the quotient directly above its position in the dividend.
Example: 6.3 ÷ 0.3 = 63 ÷ 3 = 21

5. Ratios and Proportions

Understanding Ratios

A ratio compares two quantities. It can be written in three ways:

Using a colon: a :b
Using the word "to": a to b
As a fraction: ab ​

12
Example: A class has 12 boys and 15 girls. The ratio of boys to girls is 12 : 15, or 12 to 15, or 15
​. This ratio
can be simplified to 4 : 5 by dividing both numbers by 3.

Proportions

A proportion is an equation stating that two ratios are equal.

Example: 23 ​
x
= 12 To solve for x, we can cross-multiply: 2 × 12 = 3 × x 24 = 3x Divide both sides by 3:
​

24
x= 3
​
x = 8 So, 23 = 12
​
8
. ​

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6. Geometry

Shapes and Properties

2D Shapes: Triangles (3 sides), Quadrilaterals (4 sides like squares, rectangles, parallelograms), Circles,
etc.
3D Shapes: Rectangular prisms, cubes, cylinders, spheres, cones, pyramids.

Perimeter and Area

Perimeter: The total distance around the outside of a 2D shape.

For a rectangle with length l and width w , Perimeter = 2l + 2w.
For a square with side length s, Perimeter = 4s.
Area: The amount of space a 2D shape covers.
For a rectangle, Area = l × w.
2
For a square, Area = s.
1
For a triangle with base b and height h, Area = 2
​ × b × h.

Volume

Volume is the amount of space a 3D object occupies.

For a rectangular prism with length l, width w , and height h, Volume = l × w × h.

Example (Volume): Find the volume of a rectangular prism with length 5 cm, width 3 cm, and height 4 cm.
Volume = 5 cm × 3 cm × 4 cm = 60 cm3 .

7. Data and Probability

Collecting Data

Data can be collected through surveys, experiments, or observations. It is often organized using tables, bar
graphs, pictographs, or line plots.

Mean, Median, Mode

These are measures of central tendency for a data set.

Mean: The average of the numbers. Add all the numbers and divide by the count of numbers.
Example: For the data set {2, 4, 6, 8}, Mean = 2+4+6+8
4
​ = 20
4
​ = 5.

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 Median: The middle number when the data set is ordered from least to greatest. If there are two
middle numbers, the median is the average of those two.
Example: For {2, 4, 6, 8}, the median is 4+6
2
​ = 5.
Example: For {2, 4, 6, 8, 10}, the median is 6.
Mode: The number that appears most frequently in the data set. A data set can have no mode, one
mode, or multiple modes.
Example: For {2, 4, 4, 6, 8}, the mode is 4.
Example: For {2, 4, 4, 6, 6, 8}, the modes are 4 and 6.

Probability

Probability is the chance of a specific event happening. It is usually expressed as a fraction, decimal, or
Number of favorable outcomes
percentage between 0 (impossible) and 1 (certain). Probability of an event = Total number of possible outcomes
.
​

Example: What is the probability of rolling a 4 on a standard six-sided die?

Favorable outcomes: 1 (rolling a 4)

Total possible outcomes: 6 (numbers 1 through 6)
1
Probability = 6 . ​

8. Algebraic Thinking

Patterns and Sequences

Identifying and extending patterns is a key part of algebraic thinking. This can involve number patterns,
shape patterns, or other logical sequences.

Example: The sequence 3, 6, 9, 12, ...

The pattern is adding 3 to the previous term.

The next term would be 12 + 3 = 15.

Simple Equations

Simple equations involve an unknown variable (usually represented by a letter, like x) and an equals sign.
The goal is to find the value of the variable that makes the equation true.

Example: Solve for x in x + 5 = 12. To isolate x, we perform the inverse operation of adding 5, which is
subtracting 5, from both sides of the equation: x + 5 − 5 = 12 − 5 x = 7

Example: Solve for y in 3y = 15. To isolate y , we perform the inverse operation of multiplying by 3, which
is dividing by 3, on both sides: 3y 15
3 = 3
​ y=5
​

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