Should Y5's know what a "number sentence" is?

[LynetteScavo]

Part of DD's maths homework is to write 10 number sentences.

DD didn't understand what she was supposed to do, and wrote actual sentences with words.

I was surprised, as her older brothers would have known exactly what to do.

There are one hundred very small things I'm cross about with her school atm....so not sure if I'm over reacting.

I'd include things like 6+4=3+7 in the category of 'number sentence', though, so I think 'equation' is a better formal term than 'calculation', though i don't mind the term 'number sentence' too much. I do hate misuse of equals signs in the way Thatssofunny describes, and I also try to insist that each line is written out properly!

I try to replace the word 'equals' with 'is the same as', now and then, just to reinforce what it means.

That's exactly the approach that feels right to me RunAwayHome. Though I am a parent, not a teacher.

What in the feck is a number sentence!!! I'm crap at maths but have never heard this term.

We have a raft of new terms for the new maths curriculum. 'Number sentence' is out but I can't remember the new term. Calculation maybe? 'Higher value' instead of 'more than'. 'Units' out, 'ones' back in etc. I can't remember all of them, hopefully the children won't be too confused.

Has number story gone? I hope so. It always sounded waaaaaay more exciting than it actually was

May have been covered but what's wrong with "equation"?

Number sentence is awful!

Calculation sounds the best to me so might use that.

'Equation' would be ok, I guess, but it would worry mine, because they associate that with algebra (which, helpfully, their parents and older siblings have told them is really hard). I find 'calculation' useful, because we talk about "calculation strategies" and they know what it means when they are being asked to "calculate".

We also had to change from 'units' to 'ones'.

My dd learnt about them last year in reception.