Essentials of Numeracy For All
The ‘Essentials of Numeracy for All’ provides an overall
picture of the numeracy landscape and attempts to
summarise all the key skills, processes, concepts and
attitudes that define ‘being numerate’. We show the
important links between these elements, rather than an
unprioritised ‘tick list’ of skills. An expanded version of this
diagram can be seen on the last page of this document.
HANDLING
INFORMATION
PROBLEM
SOLVING
REASONING
NUMBERS
(AND THE NUMBER
SYSTEM)
BEING
NUMERATE
SHAPE,
SPACE AND
MEASURES
DECISION
MAKING
OPERATIONS
AND
CALCULATIONS
www.nationalnumeracy.org.uk/essentialsofnumeracy
Copyright © National Numeracy 2013. All rights reserved
Page 1 of 7
Essentials 0f Numeracy For All
Being Numerate
Being numerate goes beyond simply ‘doing sums’. It means
having the confidence and competence to use numbers and
think mathematically in everyday life, for example being able
to make estimates, identify possibilities, weigh up different
options, decide which is most appropriate and choose the
correct skills to tackle and solve the problem or situation.
Being numerate supports a surprising range of areas in
everyone’s lives, whatever their age. Numeracy therefore
is a life skill – one that we believe everyone has a right to
throughout their lives.
Identify
structures
Identify information
needed to carry out
the task
Break down a
problem or task
into smaller parts
Interpret solutions
in context
of a problem
PROBLEM
SOLVING
Make mental
estimates to check
reasonableness
of answers
ATTITUDES OF MIND
Be willing to solve
problems involving
number, data or
measurement
Persevere and try
different approaches;
don’t give up
Develop self-confidence
Become comfortable
with numbers
Be systematic
REASONING
Search for
pattern
Develop logical
thinking
Predict and
check
DECISION
MAKING
Choose
appropriate
strategies
Identify
relevant
information
www.nationalnumeracy.org.uk/essentialsofnumeracy
Copyright © National Numeracy 2013. All rights reserved
Choose
tools and
equipment
Page 2 of 7
Essentials 0f Numeracy For All
Numbers
(and The Number System)
Numbers are all around us. To have a sense of the size of a
number and where it fits into the number system we need
to understand how the pattern and structure in the number
system works and how numbers relate to each other.
0-20
0-100
0-1000
Infinite
- million
- beyond
Comparing and
ordering
WHOLE
NUMBERS
Odd/even
Square
Factors and
multiples
Reading and
writing (symbols)
Prime
SIZE AND
ORDER
As labels
USING
NUMBERS
Zero as a
place holder
SEQUENCES
AND PATTERNS
Using
number lines
Ratio and
proportion
PLACE VALUE
NUMBERS
“IN BETWEEN”
WHOLE
NUMBERS
For
measuring
For
counting
Money
context
Fractions
Measures
Decimals
Estimation
Percentages
www.nationalnumeracy.org.uk/essentialsofnumeracy
Copyright © National Numeracy 2013. All rights reserved
Page 3 of 7
Essentials 0f Numeracy For All
Operations and Calculations
As well as knowing about the number system, being
numerate also means understanding the ways in which
numbers can be combined or acted upon. This allows us to
make confident and sensible choices about which methods
to use in a given context and then to calculate accurately.
Mental methods
to 100
Whole numbers
to 1000
and beyond
Knowing + and facts to 20
Calculations
with fractions,
decimals,
percentages
ADDITION AND
SUBTRACTION
Inverse
operations
NUMBER
OPERATIONS
Interrelationships
Reasonableness
of answers
Order of
operations
EFFECTIVE
USE OF
CALCULATORS
Calculations
with negatives
MULTIPLICATION
AND DIVISION
Knowing x and –:
facts to 20
www.nationalnumeracy.org.uk/essentialsofnumeracy
Copyright © National Numeracy 2013. All rights reserved
Remainders and
rounding
Page 4 of 7
Essentials 0f Numeracy For All
Handling Information
Whether cooking, browsing the web, interpreting a pay slip,
giving medicine to children, watching the news, working
out personal finances, or taking part in elections, everyone
needs to be numerate to interpret and make sense of data
and information presented in a variety of ways.
Interpreting
information
Charts:
Pie and Bar
Data in lists
and tables
GRAPHS
AND
CHARTS
COMPARING
SETS
OF DATA
Using
probability scale
Reading Scales
Measures
of average
PROBABILITY
Measures
of spread
Estimating
probability from
statistical
information
Discrete data
Experimental
probability
PROCESSING
DATA
TYPES
OF DATA
Continuous data
www.nationalnumeracy.org.uk/essentialsofnumeracy
Copyright © National Numeracy 2013. All rights reserved
Decision Trees
Venn diagrams
Page 5 of 7
Essentials 0f Numeracy For All
Shape, Space and Measures
We use measurement all the time, and we measure lots of
different things such as time, length, and temperature. We
regularly solve problems using our knowledge of shape,
space and measure, for example, working out if a new sofa
will fit in the living room or laying a carpet.
Properties
Making and
drawing
Measure
and draw
Estimate
2D/3D Shapes
(and the way they
behave)
Temperature
Standard units of
measurement
Length
ANGLES
Simple positional
language
Imperial/
Metric
Capacity
Mass
Time
Symmetry
Area/perimeter
Translation
SHAPE AND
SPACE
Reflection
Rotation
Use angle
to describe
position and
movement
MEASUREMENT
Select and
use measuring
instruments
Coordinates to
describe position
SOLVING
PROBLEMS WITH
SHAPE, SPACE
AND MEASURES
Select and use
appropriate
skills to solve
geometrical
problems
www.nationalnumeracy.org.uk/essentialsofnumeracy
Copyright © National Numeracy 2013. All rights reserved
Volume
Interpret
numbers and
read scales
Use geometrical
notation
and symbols
correctly
Page 6 of 7
Essentials 0f Numeracy For All
Essentials of Numeracy For All
(expanded)
TYPES OF DATA
COMPARING SETS
OF DATA
GRAPHS AND
CHARTS
PROCESSING DATA
PROBABILITY
HANDLING
INFORMATION
USING NUMBERS
WHOLE
NUMBERS
SIZE AND
ORDER
PLACE
VALUE
MEASUREMENT
PROBLEM
SOLVING
REASONING
NUMBERS
(AND THE NUMBER
SYSTEM)
SHAPE,
SPACE AND
MEASURES
BEING
NUMERATE
SHAPE AND
SPACE
PATTERNS AND
SEQUENCES
NUMBERS
“IN BETWEEN”
WHOLE NUMBERS
ADDITION AND
SUBTRACTION
DECISION
MAKING
OPERATIONS
AND
CALCULATIONS
MULTIPLICATION
AND DIVISION
www.nationalnumeracy.org.uk/essentialsofnumeracy
Copyright © National Numeracy 2013. All rights reserved
SOLVING PROBLEMS
WITH SHAPE, SPACE
AND MEASURE
EFFECTIVE USE
OF CALCULATORS
NUMBER
OPERATIONS
Page 7 of 7