🧺 Te Kete Ako
Mathematics Vocabulary Crossword
Pāngarau · Level 3 · Year 7–8 · Te Reo o te Pāngarau
Ngā Whāinga Akoranga · Learning Intentions
- Recall and define essential mathematics vocabulary across strands
- Connect English mathematical terms to their precise meanings
- Apply correct terminology when explaining mathematical reasoning
- Build confidence with the language of pāngarau
Paearu Angitu · Success Criteria
- I can correctly place all 12 words in the crossword grid
- I can write a definition in my own words for at least 6 words
- I can explain why using precise mathematical vocabulary matters in context
- I can write my own clue for one word (Extension)
Hononga Marautanga · Curriculum Alignment
Curriculum alignment for this handout has not yet been verified against the live curriculum statements. A generated placeholder that stood here was removed on 2026-08-29 because it matched no real statement.
Whakataukī
"He kai kei aku ringa"
There is food at the end of my hands — I have the ability to succeed.
Just as our tīpuna developed rich vocabularies to describe their mathematical thinking — from navigation to weaving patterns — we too grow our understanding by learning the language of pāngarau. Every new mathematical word is a tool in your kete.
Pāngarau Kēmu Kuputaka · Crossword
Use the clues below to fill in the crossword. Each answer is a mathematics word. Use the Word Bank if you need help.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
➡️ ACROSS
1.The distance around the outside of a shape (9 letters)
2.A number that divides evenly into another (6 letters)
5.A triangle with all sides equal (11 letters)
7.A shape with 8 sides (7 letters)
8.The result of multiplication (7 letters)
9.A 4-sided shape with one pair of parallel sides (8 letters)
12.The middle number in ordered data (6 letters)
⬇️ DOWN
1.Numbers with no common factors except 1 (5 letters)
3.The result of addition (3 letters)
4.A whole number divisible only by 1 and itself (5 letters)
6.Part of a whole, shown as a/b (8 letters)
10.A number sentence with an equals sign (8 letters)
11.A line that goes up and down (8 letters)
📚 Word Bank — use if you need help
PERIMETER
FACTOR
EQUILATERAL
OCTAGON
PRODUCT
TRAPEZIUM
MEDIAN
PRIME
SUM
FRACTION
EQUATION
VERTICAL
Whakaaro Hōhonu · Vocabulary Reflection
1. Write definitions in your own words for any 4 words from the crossword:
2. Why does using the correct mathematical word (e.g. "product" not "answer") make a difference? Give an example.
Extension: Choose one word and write a NEW clue for it — different from the one in the crossword.
Word chosen:
My new clue:
Aronga Mātauranga Māori
Language shapes thought. In te reo Māori, mathematical concepts are embedded in everyday vocabulary: pāngarau (mathematics) comes from pā (to touch, to affect) and ngarau (quantities) — mathematics as the study of how quantities affect each other. Words like tapawha (square: four sides), tapatoru (triangle: three sides), and tōpuni (to cover, as area covers space) reveal how te reo Māori encodes mathematical concepts in a way that makes their meaning visible.
Traditional Māori knowledge systems required precise vocabulary: tohunga waka needed exact terms for hull measurements; tohunga whakairo (carving masters) needed terms for geometric patterns; tohunga tārai waka (master builders) used a technical language of measurement and ratio. Mathematical vocabulary has always been a form of kaitiakitanga — protecting the precision of knowledge.
Ngā Rauemi Tautoko · Support Materials
Resources already provided:
- This crossword with 12 mathematics vocabulary words and clues
- Word bank (use only if needed — try without first)
- Mathematics glossary in student planner or textbook
- Teacher support for any unfamiliar terms
Aronga Rerekē · Differentiated Pathways
Tīmata · Entry Level
Use the word bank to complete the crossword. Write definitions in your own words for 2 words you found easy to place. Check your answers with a partner.
Paerewa · On Level
Try to complete the crossword without the word bank first, then check. Write definitions for 4 words and answer the reflection question about why precise language matters.
Tūāpae · Extension
Complete the crossword and all reflection questions. Write your own NEW clue for one word. Then research the te reo Māori terms for at least 4 of the 12 words — write them alongside the English words and explain how the Māori term reflects the word's mathematical meaning.